40 . MONKEY TRICES. 



before they can take their proper place in creation, and become the true servants and com- 

 panions of man. It rests with man, who gave names to all living beings, to complete the work 

 which God began in making them, and by stooping from his own superior nature, to be a 

 protecting and loving providence to the beings that are placed under him. By so doing, man 

 draws out, fosters, and develops the better nature which is inherent in every animal, and which 

 would remain concealed, like a seed in ice-bound soil, unless it were brought into vigorous life 

 by the genial influence of a higher being. I cannot believe that any animal is utterly untame- 

 able, and so totally brutish as to be insensible to the touch of kindness. There are many 

 animals which are proof against the old-fashioned way of education, and which are only 

 rendered more fierce and obstinate by the tortures and blows which were formerly so freely 

 bestowed on animals in course of training. But these very animals have proved to be sensitive 

 to gentle and kind treatment, and, though fierce and savage towards one who only approached 

 in order to torment, became docile and subdued when in the hands of a tender and sympa- 

 thetic owner. 



The same rule holds good with human beings ; and the great and beautiful truth becomes 

 daily more apparent, that severity of punishment has an injurious rather than a beneficial 

 effect, and that the only true rule is that of love. 



The Grivets and Vervets are frequent visitors to our land ; and being extremely inquisitive 

 in character, as well as active in body, play strange pranks in their land of exile. One of 

 these creatures which resided in London some few years ago, caused considerable annoyance 

 to his neighbors, one of whom very kindly favored me with the following account of some 

 of his misdemeanors. 



"A few years ago, we lived next door to a lady who had a pet monkey, which was one 

 of the most imitative and mischievous little beings that ever existed. His imitative nature 

 caused the servants so much trouble, that he had not a friend among those of his own house. 



"One day he observed the ladies' -maid washing her mistresses' lace; and his offers of 

 assistance having been somewhat roughly repulsed by her, chattering and scolding he went 

 forth in search of adventures. Unfortunately, my windows were invitingly open, and he 

 entered, with the idea of washing fresh in his head. 



"His spirit of curiosity induced him to open two small drawers, from which he abstracted 

 their whole contents, consisting of lace, ribbons, and handkerchiefs. He placed these things 

 in a foot-pan, together with all the water and soap that happened to be in the room, and he 

 must then have washed away with great vigor ; for when I returned to my room, after an 

 absence of an hour or so, to my astonishment, I found him busily engaged in his laundry 

 operations, spreading the torn and disfigured remnants to dry. He was well aware that he 

 was doing wrong, for without my speaking to him, he made off the moment he saw me, going 

 very quickly and hiding himself in the case of the kitchen clock in his own home. 



"By this act, the servants knew he had been doing mischief, as this was his place of 

 refuge when he was in trouble or disgrace. 



"One day he watched the cook while she was preparing some partridges for dinner, and 

 I suppose that in his own mind he considered that all birds ought to be so treated, for he 

 managed to get into the -yard where his mistress kept a few pet bantam fowls, and after rob- 

 bing them of their eggs, he secured one of the poor hens, with which he proceeded to the 

 kitchen, and then commenced plucking it. The noise that the poor bird made brought some 

 of the servants to the rescue, but they found it in such a pitiful and bleeding state, that in 

 mercy it was at once killed. 



" After this outrageous act, Mr. Monkey was chained up, which humiliated him so much 

 that he steadily refused his food, and soon died." 



Monkey flesh forms a favorite article of food with the human inhabitants of the same 

 country, and is said to be tolerably good eating, though extremely dry and sapless. Part of 

 this fault seems, however, to lie with the very primitive style of cooking which is prevalent 

 in those regions, and which is achieved by running a sharp stake through the animal's body, 

 and letting it roast before the fire. 



Europeans find a difficulty in accustoming themselves to the sight of broiled monkey ; for 



