by asinus's
side."[251]

BEST TO LET MULES HAVE THEIR OWN WAY.

Dr John Moore, in crossing the Alps, found they had nothing but the
sagacity of their mules to trust to. "For my own part," he says, "I was
very soon convinced that it was much safer on all dubious occasions to
depend on theirs than on my own. For as often as I was presented with a
choice of difficulties, and the mule and I were of different opinions,
if, becoming more obstinate than he, I insisted on his taking my track,
I never failed to repent it, and often was obliged to return to the
place where the controversy had begun, and follow the path to which he
had pointed at first.

"It is entertaining to observe the prudence of these animals in making
their way down such dangerous rocks. They sometimes put their heads over
the edge of the precipice, and examine with anxious circumspection every
possible way by which they can descend, and at length are sure to fix on
that which, upon the whole, is the best. Having observed this in several
instances, I laid the bridle on the neck of my mule, and allowed him to
take his own way, without presuming to control him in the smallest
degree. This is doubtless the best method, and what I recommend to all
my friends in their journey through life, when they have mules for their
companions."[252]

ZEBRA.--"_Un ane rayee._"

A FRENCHMAN'S "DOUBLE-ENTENDRE."

When, in 1805, Patrick Lattin, an officer of the Irish Brigade, was
residing in Paris, a M. de Montmorency, whose Christian name was Anne,
made his appearance, announcing that he was enabled to return to France,
in consequence of the First Consul having scratched his name on the list
of _emigres_. "_A present donc_," observed Lattin, "_mon cher Anne, tu
es un Zebre--un ane rayee._"[253]

FOOTNOTES:

[239] "The Poems of S. T. Coleridge," pp. 26, 27 (1844).

[240] "Memoirs of the Life of William Collins, R.A.," by his son, W.
Wilkie Collins, vol. i. p. 232.

[241] Edition of Sir T. D. Lauder, Bart., vol. ii. p. 273.

[242] "Gilpin's Forest Scenery," vol. ii. p. 275. Edited by Sir T. D.
Lauder.

[243] Mark Lemon, "Jest Book," p. 129.

[244] Lemon, "Jest Book," p. 307.

[245] Photius, quoted by Southey in his "Common-Place Book," first
series, p. 588.

[246] "Memoirs of the Life of the Right Hon. Warren Hastings, compiled
from original papers," by the Rev. G. R. Gleig, M.A., vol. iii. p. 367.

[247] "The Life and Writings of Henry Fuseli, Esq., M.