o overrate the lion, both as to
his appearance and courage. From him we learn that when a lion is met
with in the day-time--a circumstance by no means uncommon in Africa--the
traveller will be disappointed with the appearance of the animal which
they had been accustomed to hear styled "noble" and "majestic"; that it
is somewhat larger than the largest-sized dog, partakes very strongly of
the canine features, and does not much resemble our usual drawings of
lions, which he condemns as bearing too strong a resemblance to "old
women's faces in nightcaps." The Doctor also talks slightingly of its
roar, and says that having made particular inquiry as to the opinions of
European travellers who have heard the roar of the lion and that of the
ostrich, he found they invariably admitted that they could not detect
any difference between the two when the animals were at a distance.

Now, really, although we are bound to admit that the Doctor's opinion is
of great weight, we cannot, without a humble protest, allow ourselves to
be thus ruthlessly stripped of all our romantic notions in regard to the
"king of beasts"! We suspect that the Doctor, disgusted with the
"twaddle" that has undoubtedly been talked in all ages about the
"magnanimity" of the "noble" lion and his "terrific aspect," has been
led unintentionally to underrate him. In this land we have
opportunities of seeing and hearing the lion in his captive state; and
we think that most readers will sympathise with us when we say that even
in a cage he has at least a very grand and noble _aspect_; and that,
when about to be fed, his intermittent growls and small roars, so to
speak, have something very awful and impressive, which nothing like the
bellowing of a bull can at all equal. To say that the roar of the
ostrich is equal to that of the lion is no argument at all; it does not
degrade the latter, it merely exalts the former. And further, in regard
to aspect, the illustrations in Dr Livingstone's own most interesting
work go far to prove that the lion is magnificent in appearance.

Thus much we dare venture to say, because on these points we, with all
men, are in a position to form a judgment for ourselves. We, however,
readily believe the great traveller when he tells us that nothing he
ever heard of the lion led him to ascribe to it a noble _character_, and
that it possesses none of the nobility of the Newfoundland or St.
Bernard Dogs. The courage of the lion, altho