en to
plunge voluntarily into a rapid stream, to rescue another that was in
danger of drowning. He has defended helpless curs from the attacks of
other dogs, and learns to apportion punishment according to the
provocation received, frequently disdaining to exercise his power and
strength on a weaker adversary. Repeated provocation will, however,
excite and revenge. For instance, a Newfoundland dog was quietly
eating his mess of broth and broken scraps. While so employed, a
turkey endeavoured to share the meal with him. The dog growled, and
displayed his teeth. The intruder retired for a moment, but quickly
returned to the charge, and was again "warned off," with a like
result. After three or four attempts of the same kind, the dog became
provoked, gave a sudden ferocious growl, bit off the delinquent's
head, and then quietly finished his meal, without bestowing any
further attention on his victim.

The celebrated Leibnitz related to the French Academy an account of a
dog he had seen which was taught to speak, and could call in an
intelligible manner for tea, coffee, chocolate, &c.

The dog was of a middling size, and the property of a peasant in
Saxony. A little boy, the peasant's son, imagined that he perceived in
the dog's voice an indistinct resemblance to certain words, and was,
therefore, determined to teach him to speak distinctly. For this
purpose he spared neither time nor pains with his pupil, who was about
three years old when his learned education commenced; and at length he
made such progress in language, as to be able to articulate no less
than thirty words. It appears, however, that he was somewhat of a
truant, and did not very willingly exert his talents, being rather
pressed into the service of literature, and it was necessary that the
words should be first pronounced to him each time before he spoke. The
French Academicians who mention this anecdote, add, that unless they
had received the testimony of so great a man as Leibnitz, they should
scarcely have dared to relate the circumstance.

An invalid gentleman, who resided for some years on Ham Common, in
Surrey, had a dog which distinctly pronounced John, William, and two
or three other words. A medical friend of mine, who attended this
gentleman, has frequently heard the animal utter these words; and a
female relative of his, who was often on a visit at his house, assures
me of the fact. Indeed it need not be doubted.

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