Page:Works of Voltaire Volume 03.djvu/213

Rh and six months. I date my age from the little revolution of the equinoxes, and which is accomplished in about twenty-eight thousand of your years. There are revolutions of a much greater extent, so are there beings much older than me. It is twenty-two thousand years since I learned Chaldæan in one of my travels. I have always had a very great taste for the Chaldæan language, but my brethren, the other animals, have renounced speaking in your climate."

"And why so, my divine bird?"

"Alas! because men have accustomed themselves to eat us, instead of conversing and instructing themselves with us. Barbarians! should they not have been convinced that, having the same organs with them, the same sentiments, the same wants, the same desires, we have also what is called a soul, the same as themselves; that we are their brothers, and that none should be dressed and eaten but the wicked? We are so far your brothers that the Supreme Being, the Omnipotent and Eternal Being, having made a compact with men, expressly comprehended us in the treaty. He forbade you to nourish yourselves with our blood, and us to suck yours.

"The fables of your ancient Locman, translated into so many languages, will be an eternally existing testimony of the happy commerce you formerly carried on with us. They all begin with these words: 'In the time when beasts spoke.' It is true, there are many families among you who keep up an incessant conversation with their dogs; but the dogs have