how people can be amused by any thing that causes
pain to the creature doing it. They must either be very stupid, or very
hard-hearted. Want of thought is a great cause of needless cruelty, I
know; and I am trying to put some kind thoughts into your heads, which
you may be thankful for when you are older. I can tell you one thing,
which is, that it is impossible for a cruel man to be happy: it is
entirely IMPOSSIBLE. He may laugh and shout, and sing, and dance, and
tell you that he is very happy; but it is not so. There is in his heart
something always whispering, "Your turn will come. The great God, the
holy, just, merciful God, whose creatures you now torment, sees it all,
knows it all; and he will punish you. Every one of us must appear before
the judgment-seat of Christ, to give an account of the things done in
the body; and you will be forced to own all your cruelties, before
angels and men: and then what follows? 'HE SHALL HAVE JUDGMENT WITHOUT
MERCY WHO HATH SHOWN NO MERCY!'" A bad man will never confess to you
that such is his feeling: for bad men always will try to make you as bad
as themselves: but now, mind, after what I have told you, if you have
not the same terror of God's vengeance coming over you when you do a
cruel thing. If not, it is because you are already hardened by Satan;
but I should grieve to think it was so with you. Oh! remember that the
blessed Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil; and pray to him
now to deliver you from the power of that evil one. He will hear, and
help, and save.

Even as to animals that we may destroy when they injure us, we should
not forget the good they also do: as an instance, the RAT may be
mentioned. It is, indeed, a very troublesome and sometimes dangerous
creature: it will kill and carry off young chickens, pigeons, and other
defenceless things; besides making sad havoc among the grain and
eatables of every sort. It is often more than a match for a grown
kitten, or even a weak cat: and where they are in numbers, they have
been known to overpower a man. I confess, the rat is a very disagreeable
enemy, whom we may fairly get rid of when we can. But when it is
necessary to kill them, we should do it mercifully; do not put them to
needless pain. Why should you? Is it manly? Is it generous? Is it what
you think God will approve? Will it make you wiser, or better, or
happier to feel that you are giving pain to a poor creature?

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