of the Rev. Sydney Smith," by his daughter, Lady Holland,
vol. i. p. 117.

[235] Mrs Marcet, in Lady Holland's Memoirs of her Father, the Rev.
Sydney Smith, vol. i. p. 364.

[236] "Life and Letters of Joseph Story, Associate Justice of the
Supreme Court of the United States, and Dane Professor of Law at Harvard
University," edited by his son, Wm. W. Story, vol. ii. p. 611.

[237] "The Intellectuality of Domestic Animals: a Lecture Delivered
before the Royal Zoological Society of Ireland," p. 25. Dublin, 1847.

[238] Mark Lemon, "Jest Book," p. 263.

ASS AND ZEBRA.

It is strange that one of the most sagacious of animals should have
supplied us with a by-word for "a fool." Coleridge was conscious of this
when, in writing his address to a young ass's foal,[239] he exclaimed--

"I hail thee, brother, spite of the fool's scorn."

How well has he expressed his love for "the languid patience" of its
face.

In warmer climes the ass attains a size and condition not seen here,
though when cared for in this rougher climate, the donkey assumes
somewhat of the size and elegance he has in the East. But who can bear
his voice? Surely Coleridge was very fanciful when, in any condition of
asshood, he could write--

"Yea, and more musically sweet to me
Thy dissonant, harsh bray of joy would be,
Than warbled melodies that soothe to rest
The aching of pale Fashion's vacant breast."

The wild ass, as it roams over the plains of Asia, or is seen in the
Zoological gardens along with the gracefully-shaped and prettily-striped
zebra, must be admired by every one.

COLLINS AND THE OLD DONKEY OF ODELL, COWPER'S MESSENGER AT OLNEY.

In July 1823, William Collins, R.A., visited Turvey, in Bedfordshire.
His son remarks--"Besides the attractions presented to the pencil by the
natural beauties of this neighbourhood, its vicinity to Olney, the
favourite residence of the poet Cowper, gave it, to all lovers of
poetry, a local and peculiar charm. Conspicuous among its inhabitants at
the time when my father visited it was 'old Odell,' frequently mentioned
by Cowper as the favourite messenger who carried his letters and
parcels. The extreme picturesqueness and genuine rustic dignity of the
old man's appearance made him an admirable subject for pictorial study.
Portraits of him, in water-colours and oils, were accordingly made by my
father, who introduced him into three of his pictures. The donkey on
which he had f