d, and not till the creature's body was cut from the head could
the mangled hand be extricated.

An Irish gentleman had an only son, quite a little boy, who, being
without playmates, was allowed to have a number of cats sleeping in his
room. One day the boy beat the father of the family for some offence,
and when he was asleep at night the revengeful beast seized him by the
throat, and might have killed him had not instant help been at hand.
The cat sprang from the window and was no more seen.

If you are always gentle and kind, you will never arouse anger or
revenge. It may be aroused in the breast of the most harmless-looking
creatures and the most contemptible. Your motive, however, for acting
gently and lovingly should be, not fear of the consequences of a
contrary behaviour, but that the former is right.

CHAPTER TWO.

DOGS.

We now come to the noble Dog, indued by the Creator with qualities which
especially fit him to be the companion of man. Such he is in all parts
of the world; and although wild dogs exist, they appear, like savage
human beings, to have retrograded from a state of civilisation. The
mongrels and curs, too, have evidently deteriorated, and lost the
characteristic traits of their nobler ancestors.

What staunch fidelity, what affection, what courage, what devotion and
generosity does the dog exhibit! Judged by the anecdotes I am about to
narrate of him--a few only of the numberless instances recorded of his
wonderful powers of mind--he must, I think, be considered the most
sagacious of all animals, the mighty elephant not excepted.

THE DOG ROSSWELL.

I will begin with some anecdotes which I am myself able to authenticate.

Foremost must stand the noble Rosswell, who belonged to some connections
of mine. He was of great size--a giant of the canine race--of a brown
and white colour, one of his parents having seen the light in the frozen
regions of Greenland, among the Esquimaux.

Rosswell, though a great favourite, being too large to be fed in the
house, had his breakfast, consisting of porridge, in a large wooden bowl
with a handle, sent out to him every morning, and placed close to a
circular shrubbery before the house. Directly it arrived, he would
cautiously put his nose to the bowl, and if, as was generally the case,
the contents were too hot for his taste, he would take it up by the
handle and walk with it round the shrubbery at a dignified pace, putting
it down again a