their wings and legs, and then watched with pleasure their feeble efforts to escape from him. Sometimes he collected a number of them together, and crushed them at once to death; glorying, like many a celebrated hero, in the devastation he committed. His tutor remonstrated with him, in vain, on this barbarous conduct. He could not persuade him to believe that flies are capable of pain, and have a right, no less than ourselves, to life, liberty and enjoyment. The signs of agony, which, when tormented, they express, by the quick and various contortions of their bodies, he neither understood, nor would attend to.

The tutor had a microscope; and he desired his pupil, one day, to examine a most beautiful and surprising animal. "Mark," said he, how it is studded from head to tail with black and silver, and its body all over beset with the most curious bristles! The head contains the most lively eyes, encircled with silver hairs; and the trunk consists of two parts, which fold over each other. The whole body is ornamented with plumes and decorations, which surpass all the luxury of dress, in the courts of the greatest princes." Pleased and astonished with what he saw, the youth was impatient to know the name and properties of this wonderful animal. It was withdrawn from the magnifier; and when offered to his naked eye, proved to be a poor fly, which had been the victim of his wanton cruelty.

PERCIVAL.

D

SECTION VI.

SELFISH SORROW REPROVED.

ONE day during the summer vacation, Alexis had prepared himself to set out, with a party of his com panions, upon a little journey of pleasure. But the sky lowered, the clouds gathered, and he remained for some time in anxious suspense about his expedition; which was at last prevented by heavy and continued rain. The disappointment overpowered his fortitude; burst into tears; lamented the untimely change of weather; and sullenly refused all consolation.

he

In the evening, the clouds were dispersed; the sun shone with unusual brightness; and the face of nature seemed to be renewed in vernal beauty. Euphronius conducted Alexis into the fields. The storm of passion in his breast was now stilled; and the serenity of the air, the music of the feathered songsters, the verdure of the meadows, and the sweet perfumes which breathed around, regaled every sense, and filled his mind with delightful emotions.

Do not you remark," said Euphronius, "the delightful change which has suddenly taken place in the whole creation? Recollect the appearance of the scene before us yesterday. The ground was then parched with a long drought; the flowers hid their drooping heads; no fragrant odours were perceived; and vegetation seemed to cease. To what cause must we impute this revival of nature?" To the rain which fell this morning," replied Alexis, with a modest confusion. He was

struck with the selfishness and folly of his conduct; and his own bitter reflections anticipated the reproofs of Euphronius.

PERCIVAL.

SECTION VII.

WE ARE OFTEN DECEIVED BY APPEARANCES.

A YOUTH, who lived in the country, and who had not acquired, either by reading or conversation, any knowledge of the animals which inhabit foreign regions, came to Manchester, to see an exhibition of wild beasts. The size and figure of the elephant struck him with awe; and he viewed the rhinoceros with astonishment. But his attention was soon withdrawn from these animals, and directed to another, of the most elegant and beautiful form. He stood contemplating, with silent admiration, the glossy smoothness of his hair; the blackness and regularity of the streaks with which he was marked; the symmetry of his limbs ;and above all, the placid sweetness of his countenance. "What is the name of this lovely animal,” said he to the keeper," which you have placed near one of the ugliest beasts in your collection, as if you meant to contrast beauty with deformity?" "Beware, young man," replied the intelligent keeper, "of being so easily cap. tivated with external appearances. The animal which you admire, is called a tiger, and notwithstanding the meekness of his looks, he is fierce and savage beyond description. I can neither terrify him by correction, nor tame kim by indulgence. But the other beast,

which you despise, is in the highest degree docile, affectionate and useful. For the benefit of man, he traverses the sandy deserts of Arabia, where drink and pasture are seldom to be found; and will continue six or seven days without sustenance, yet still patient of labour. His hair is manufactured into clothing; his flesh is deemed wholesome nourishment; and the milk of the female is much valued by the Arabs. The camel, therefore, for such is the name given to this animal, is more worthy of your admiration than the tiger, notwithstanding the inelegance of his make, and the two hunches upon his back. For mere external beauty is of little estimation; and deformity, when associated with amiable dispositions and useful qualities, does not preclude our respect and approbation,"

99

PERCIVAL.

SECTION VIII.

THE UNGRATEFUL GUEST.

PHILIP, king of Macedon, is celebrated for an act of private justice which does great honour to his memory. A certain soldier in the Macedonian army, had, in various instances, distinguished himself by extraor dinary acts of valour; and had received many marks of Philip's favour and approbation. On a particular occasion, this soldier embarked on board a vessel, which was wrecked by a violent storm; and he was east on shore, helpless and naked, with scarcely any appearance of life. A Macedonian, whose lands were

contiguous to the sea, came opportunely to be witness of his distress; and, with the most humane and charitable tenderness, flew to the relief of the unhappy stranger. He bore him to his house, laid him in his own bed, revived, cherished and comforted him; and for forty days supplied him freely with all the necessaries and conveniences which his languishing condition could require. The soldier, thus happily rescued from death, was incessant in the warmest expressions of gratitude to his benefactor; assured him of his interest with the king; and of his determination to obtain for him, from the royal bounty, the noble returns which such extraordinary benevolence had merited. He was at length completely recovered; and was supplied by his kind host with money to pursue his journey. After some time, the soldier presented himself before the king; he recounted his misfortunes; he magnified his services; and this inhuman wretch, who had looked with an eye of envy on the possessions of the man by whom his life had been preserved, was so devoid of gratitude, and of every humane sentiment, as to request that the king would bestow upon him the house and lands, where he had been so tenderly and kindly entertained.Unhappily, Philip, without examination, precipitately granted him his infamous request. The soldier then returned to his preserver; and repaid his goodness by driving him from his settlement, and taking immediate possession of all the fruits of his honest industry. The poor man, stung with such an instance of unparalleled ingratitude and insensibility, boldly determined, instead of submitting to his wrongs, to seek relief: and in a letter addressed to Philip, represented his own, and the soldier's conduct, in a lively and affecting man