health
to suffering humanity!

A good example of one of the ways in which magical properties become
attributed to natural objects is the stone known as amethyst. The
ancient Indian name of this stone had the sound represented by its
present name. In Greek this sound happens to mean "not intoxicated";
hence, without more ado, the ancients declared that the amethyst was a
preventive of, and a cure for, drunkenness.

CHAPTER VI

ELEPHANTS

In the novel by that clever but contradictious writer, Sam Butler,
entitled "The Way of All Flesh," an amiable and philosophically minded
old gentleman, who pervades the story, states that when one feels
worried or depressed by the incidents of one's daily life, great
comfort may be derived from an hour spent at the Zoological Gardens in
company with the larger mammalia. He ascribes to them a remarkable
soothing influence, and I am inclined to agree with him. I am not
prepared to decide whether the effect is due to the example of
patience under adversity offered by these animals, or whether it is
perhaps their tranquil indifference to everything but food, coupled
with their magnificent success in attaining to such dignity of size,
which imposes upon me and fills me for a brief space with resignation
and a child-like acquiescence in things as they are. The elephant
stands first as a soothing influence, and then the giraffe, the latter
having special powers, due to its beautiful eyes and agreeable
perfume. Sometimes the hippopotamus may diffuse a charm of his own, an
aura of rotund obesity, especially when he is bathing or sleeping; but
there are moments when one has to flee from his presence. I never
could get on very well with rhinoceroses, but the large deer, bison,
and wild cattle have the quality detected by Mr. Butler. So has the
gorgeous, well-grown tiger, in full measure, when he purrs in answer
to one's voice: but the lion is pompous, irritable, and easily upset.
He never purrs. He is unpleasantly and obscurely spotted. He seems to
be afraid of losing his dignity, and to be conscious of the fact that
his reputation--like that of some English officials--depends on the
overpowering wig which he now wears, though his Macedonian forerunner
had no such growth to give an illusive appearance of size and capacity
to his head. However opinions may differ about these things, we will
agree that the elephant (or "Oliphant," as he was called in France 400
years ago) is the most