I fhall conclude this article with the following paffage from Petrarch, a celebrated Italian poet, whose society was courted by men of the highest rank; and who, notwithstanding he had free access to the luxurious tables of Bishops, Cardinals, Princes, and Popes, thus expreffes himself concerning the pleasures of eating. "I "prefer the most fimple meats, prepared "without art or labour; and think that no "cheer is more delicious than the fruits "and herbs of my garden. I always ap

proved a taste conformable to nature. "Not that I dislike a good repaft now and then; but it fhould come very rarely. "Among the Romans, before the conquest " of Afia, the cook was the vilest of slaves; "Would to God they had never conquer"ed that part of the world, which fubdued "them by its foftness and luxury!"

TH

HE Glutton is an animal of the Weefel kind, and is fo called from his

voracious appetite.

He is found in the northern

O 2

northern parts of Europe, Afia, and America; and is ufually about three feet long, and a foot and a half high. His body is long, his legs fhort; and he takes his prey by surprise, and not by purfuit. He climbs a tree, and lurks amongst the thick branches of it, until a deer, or some other large animal paffes underneath, upon whose back he impetuously cafts himself; and remaining there firm and unfhaken, by the strength and sharpness of his claws, he eats the neck, and digs a paffage to the great blood veffels which lie in that part. The affrighted and agonifing deer flies in vain. His infatiable foe continues to feast upon him; and when he drops, leaves him not till he has confumed the whole carcafe. When the ftomach of the glutton has been thus gorged, he lies torpid feveral days, then awakes again to afcend fome neighbouring tree, in queft of another adven

ture.

The fkin of this animal is covered with a fur, which is highly valued for its beauty and luftre.

THE

T

THE A S S.

HE Duke of Bridgewater's Canal terminates about a quarter of a mile from Manchester. One branch of it communicates with Leverpool, by the river Mersey, into which it falls below Runcorn; another is carried into the centre of his Grace's collieries at Worfley, and by means of it this town and neighbourhood are fupplied with large quantities of coal. Small loads are permitted to be fold, for the benefit of the poor; and a confiderable number of little carts, each drawn by a fingle afs, are conftantly employed to convey and distribute this article, fo neceffary to the comfort, and even to the support of life.

One frofty day, about noon, Euphronius walked towards the Duke's wharf, accompanied by Alexis and Jacobus. As they were defcending a slope in the road, which the ice had rendered almost as flippery as glafs,

03

glafs, they turned on one fide to make way for an afs, with a cart very heavily laden. The little animal exerted all his powers, and ftrained every nerve to ascend the brow But all his efforts were in vain: his feet flided; he fell upon his knees; and the cart rolled down the declivity, dragging, backwards the affrighted afs. Provoked at this disappointment, the driver lashed the poor beast in the most unmerciful manner; yet could not, by his utmost severity, urge him to a fecond attempt. He remained invincible and immoveable; and as if equally conscious of his inability and of his fervitude, he bore with patient but inert submission, the cruel ftripes that were inflicted on him.

Euphronius interpofed in favour of the afs; but neither reafon, entreaty, nor menaces availed; and the carter continued his blows, till Jacobus offered the few halfpence which he had in his poffeffion, to bribe him to humanity. The little party now proceeded in their walk, and were highly entertained with the various mate

rials for the manufactures of Manchefter, which lay piled in heaps around them. Their respective uses were confidered, and the diverfified exertions of human art and industry afforded the most copious and pleafing topics of converfation. Whilst they were thus engaged, a loud huzza was heard, and the curiofity of Alexis induced him to pafs onwards to a number of men, from whom it proceeded, and who were standing together in a circle on the wharf. Just as he approached them,、 another fhout of joy was raised; and he learned, that each individual prefent was deciding, by the throw of a halfpenny, whether the mule, or afs, employed in his cart, should have a feed of corn at noon, or whether the value of the provender should be applied to the purchase of fpirituous liquors for himself: And whenever chance proved favourable to injuftice and debauchery, the whole croud united in the cry of exultation. Euphronius, fhocked with this account, retired from the wharf; deeming it in vain to expoftulate with men, who appeared to be devoid of all humaniO 4

ty,