At the same time, one has to remember that such


214 BIRDS IN TOWN AND VILLAGE


sentiments, as a rule, are not understood by those
who have charge over groves and gardens, whose
minds are ignorant and earthly, or, as they would
say, practical. Of the balance of nature they know
and care naught, nor can they regard life as sacred ;
it is enough to know that it is or may be injurious
to their interests for them to sweep it away. The
small thing that has been flying about and uttering
musical sounds since April may, when July comes,
devour a certain number of cherries. Nor is even
this plea needed. If it is innocent for the lower
creatures to prey upon one another, it cannot be
less innocent for man to destroy them indiscrimi-
nately, if it gives him any pleasure to do so. It is
idle to go into such subtle questions with those who
have the power to destroy; if their hands are to be
restrained it is not by appealing to feelings which
they do not possess, but to their lower natures—
to their greed and their cunning. For the rest of us,
for all who have conquered or outgrown the killing
instinct, the impartiality that pets nothing and
persecutes nothing is doubtless man’s proper attitude
towards the inferior animals; a godlike benevolent
neutrality ; a keen and kindly interest in every form
of life, with indifference as to its ultimate destiny ;
the softness which does no wrong with the hardness
that sees no wrong done.
