To herd with men, whose love and hate I spurn.
All creatures toil; the beast, if tamed or free,
Must toil for daily sustenance like me;
The feather’d people hunt as well as sing,
And catch their flying food upon the wing.
The fish, the insect, all who live, employ
Their powers to keep on life, or to enjoy,
Their life th’ enjoyment; thus will I proceed, 140
A man from man’s detested favours freed.”
Thus was I reasoning, when at length there came