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under the same free constitution, and once breathing the same liberal air as Englishmen, would resist upon the same principles, and on the same occasions.

4. What has government done? They have sent an armed force, consisting of seventeen thousand men, to dragoon the Bostonians into what is called their duty; and, so far from once turning their eyes to the policy and destructive consequence of this scheme, are constantly sending out more troops. And we are told, in the language of men'ace, that if seventeen thousand men won't do, fifty thousand shall.

5. It is true, my lords, with this force they may ravage the country; waste and destroy as they march; but, in the progress of fifteen hundred miles, can they occupy the places they have passed? Will not a country which can produce three millions of people, wronged and insulted as they are, start up like hydras in every corner, and gather fresh strength from fresh opposition?

6. Nay, what dependence can you have upon the soldiery, the unhappy engines* of your wrath? They are Englishmen, who must feel for the privileges of Englishmen. Do you think that these men can turn their arms against their brethren? Surely no. A victory must be to them a defeat; and carnage, a sacrifice.

7. But it is not merely three millions of people, the prod uce of America, we have to contend with in this unnatural struggle; many more are on their side, dispersed over the face of this wide empire. Every whig in this country and in Ireland is with them.

8. Who, then, let me demand, has given, and continues to give, this strange and unconstitutional advice? I do not mean to level at one man, or any particular set of men; but thus much I will venture to declare, that, if his majesty continues to hear such counsellors, he will not only be badly advised, but undone.

9. He may continue indeed to wear his crown; but it will not be worth his wearing. Robbed of so principal a jewel as America, it will lose its lustre, and no longer beam that effulgence which should irra'diate the brow of majesty.

10. In this alarming crisis, I come with this paper in my * Pronounced en'jînz. t wurth,

hand, to offer you the best of my experience and advice; which is, that an humble petition be presented to his majesty, beseeching him, that, in order to open the way towards a happy settlement of the dangerous troubles in America, it may graciously please him, that immediate orders be given to general Gage for removing his majesty's forces from the town of Boston.

11. And this, my lords, upon the most mature and deliberate grounds, is the best advice I can give you, at this juncture. Such conduct will convince America that you mean to try her cause in the spirit of freedom and inquiry, and not in letters of blood.

12. There is no time to be lost. Every hour is big with danger. Perhaps, while I am now speaking, the deci'sive blow is struck, which may involve millions in the consequence. And believe me, the very first drop of blood which is shed will cause a wound which may never be healed.

THE LION.

THIS animal is produced in Africa, and the hottest parts of Asia. It is found in the greatest numbers in the scorched and desolate regions of the torrid zone, and in all the interiour parts of the vast continent of Africa.

2. In these desert regions, from whence mankind are driven by the rigorous heat of the climate, this animal reigns sole master. Its disposition seems to partake of the ardour of its native soil. Inflamed by the influence of a burning sun, its rage is most tremendous, and its courage undaunted.

3. Happily, indeed, the species is not numerous, and is said to be greatly diminished; for, if we may credit the testimony of those who have traversed those vast deserts, the number of lions is not nearly so great as formerly.

4. From numberless accounts, we are assured, that, powerful and terrible as this animal is, its anger is noble, its courage magnanimous, and its temper susceptible of grateful impressions. It has often been seen to despise weak and contemptible enemies, and even to pardon their insults, when it has been in its power to punish them.

5. It has been known to spare the life of an animal that

was thrown to be devoured by it; to live in habits of perfect cordiality with it; to share its subsistence, and even to give it a preference where its portion of food was scanty.

6. The form of the lion is strikingly bold and majestick His large and shaggy mane, which he can erect at pleasure, surrounding his awful front; his huge eyebrows; his round and fiery eyeballs, which, upon the least irritation, seem to glow with peculiar lustre; together with the formidable ap pearance of his teeth, exhibit a picture of terrifick grandeur, which no words can describe.

7. The length of the largest lion is between eight and nine feet; the tail about four; and its height about four feet and a half. The female is about one fourth part less, and without

a mane.

8. As the lion advances in years, its mane grows longer and thicker. The hair on the rest of the body is short and smooth, of a tawny colour, but whitish on the belly. Its roaring is loud and dreadful. When heard in the night, it resembles distant thunder. Its cry of anger is much louder and shorter.

9. The lion seldom attacks any animal openly, except when impelled by extreme hunger; in that case no danger* deters him. But, as most animals endeavour to avoid him, he is obliged to have recourse to artifice, and take his prey by surprise.

10. For this purpose, he crouches on his belly in some thicket, where he waits till his prey approaches; and then, with one prodigious spring, he leaps upon it at the distance of fifteen or twenty feet, and generally seizes it at the first bound.

11. If he miss his object, he gives up the pursuit; and, turning back towards the place of his ambush, he measures the ground step by step, and again lies in wait for another opportunity. The lurking places are generally chosen by him near a spring, or by the side of a river, where he has frequently an opportunity of catching such animals as come to quench their thirst.

12. The lion is a long-lived animal, although naturalists differ greatly as to the precise period of its existence. Of some that have been trained in the tower of London, one

* Pronounced dāne'jür.

lived to the age of sixty-three years, and another exceeded seventy.

13. The aspect of the lion corresponds with the noble and generous qualities of his mind; his figure is respectable, his looks are determined, his gait is stately, and his voice tremendous. In a word, the body of the lion appears to be the best model of strength joined to agility.

14. As a proof that he is capable of exercising a generous and friendly disposition towards mankind, we have the following anecdote of one which was kept in the tower of London.

15. When this lion was confined in the den alone, an accident happened to the lower part of it, which so impaired the wood work, that he could not be kept with safety; the carpenter was, therefore, called to repair it, who wisely stood at a distance, and would not approach the den for fear of the lion.

16. Upon this, one of the keepers stepped into the den, and engaged to keep the lion at the upper part of his house, while the carpenter was at work beneath. It happened, however, that the keeper, after playing some time with the lion, fell fast asleep.

17. The carpenter continued his work, without knowing the danger to which he was exposed; and, when he had finished his work, called to the keeper to come down and fasten the door; but received no answer.

18. He then ran out of the den, and was greatly surprised to see, through the grate, both the keeper and the lion stretched upon the floor, and sleeping together. He called to him again, but the keeper was too sound asleep to return any answer.

19. The lion, however, reared up his frightful head, and, after looking some time at the carpenter, threw his huge paw over the keeper's breast, and, laying his nose upon his head, again composed himself to rest.

20. The carpenter, already terrified with his own situation, was still more alarmed when he saw the keeper thus encircled with the paws of the lion, and ran into the house for aid.

21. Some of the people came out, and, having bolted the den door, which the carpenter had neglected in his

precipitate retreat, they roused the keeper from his sleep, who, shaking the lion by the paw, took his leave; but the lion was too well bred to suffer his friend to go without some little ceremony or marks of esteem.

22. He first rubbed his great nose against the keeper's knees, then held him by the coat, as if he would have said, "Do stay a little longer;" and, when he found that no entreaties could prevail, he courteously* waited on him to the door.

STORY OF THE GRATEFUL TURK.

IT is too much to be lamented, that different nations frequently make bloody wars with each other; and, when they take any of their enemies prisoners, instead of using them well, and restoring them to liberty, they confine them in prisons, or sell them as slaves. The enmity that there has often been between many of the Italian states, particularly the Venetians, and the Turks, is sufficiently known.

2. It once happened that a Venetian ship had taken many of the Turks prisoners, and, according to the barba rous custom I have mentioned, these unhappy men had been sold to different persons in the city. By accident, one of the slaves lived opposite to the house of a rich Venetian, who had an only son, of about the age of twelve years.

3. It happened that this little boy used frequently to stop as he passed near Hamet, for that was the name of the slave, and gaze at him very attentively. Hamet, who remarked in the face of the child the appearance of good nature and compassion, used always to salute him with the greatest courtesy,† and testified the greatest pleasure in his

company.

4. At length the little boy took such a fancy to the slave, that he used to visit him several times in the day, and brought him such little presents as he had it in his power to make, and which he thought would be of use to his friend.

* Pronounced kur'che-us-le. tlar te-se.

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