THE GREAT DISCOVERY IN \'T:GETATI0N. 



been urging his great discovery upon the attention of congress and the legislature 

 for ten or twelve years past, put all the committee under a solemn vow of secrecy, 

 though we protested at the time against his expecting that a horticultural editor should 

 preserve sHence touching anything that is told him suh rosa. 



And yet we would not treat our correspondent rudely — ^for his letter only express- 

 es what a good many others have expressed to us verbally. We shall, tiierefore, en- 

 deavor to console him for the want of the learned dissertation an vegetable physiology 

 which he no doubt expected, by telling him a story. 



Once on a time there was a little spaniel who lived only for the good of his race. He 

 had a mild countenance, and looked at the first, enough like other dogs. But for all that 

 he was an oddity. Year in and year out, this little spaniel wandered about with a wise 

 look, like the men that gaze at the stars through the great telescopes. The fact was, 

 he had taken it into his head that he was a philosopher, and had discovered a great se- 

 cret. This was no less than the secret of histinct by which dogs do so many wonder- 

 ful things, that some men with all their big looks, their learning, yes, and even their 

 wonderful knack of talking, cannot do. 



It was curious to see how the little spaniel who had turned philoshpher, gave him- 

 self up to this fancy that had got into his head. He had a comfortable kennel, where 

 he might have kept house, barked, looked after trespassers, where he might have been 

 well fed, and had a jolly time of it like other dogs. 



But no, he was far too wise for that. He had, as he said, found out something that 

 would alter the whole " platform" on which dogs stood, something that would help them 

 to carry their heads higher than many men he could name, instead of being obliged to 

 play second fiddle to the horse. If the community of dogs in general would but lis- 

 ten to him, he would teach them not only how to be always wise and rich, how to be 

 strong and hearty, but above all, how to preserve their scent — for the scent is a plea- 

 sure that dogs prize as much as some old ladies who take snufi". In short, the know- 

 ledge of this wonderful discovery would bring about a canine millennium — for he as- 

 sm-ed them that not only was every one of them entitled to his " day," but that " a 

 good time was coming," even for dogs. 



And why, you will say, did not our philosopher divulge for the benefit of the whole 

 family of dogs ? " It is so pleasant to do something for the elevation of our race," as 

 the travelled monkey thought when he was teaching his brothers to walk on their hind 

 legs. All the dogs in the country could not but owe him a debt of gratitude, since they 

 would soon become so wise that they might even teach their masters something of in- 

 stinct. And then they would be so happy — since there would not be a downcast tail 

 in all the land — for the whole country would be in one perpetual wag of delight. 



Ah ! dear reader, we see that you, who put such questions, know nothing either of 

 philosophy, or the world. As if the people who discover why the world turns 

 round, and the stars shine, throw their knowledge into the street for every dog 

 to trample on. No, indeed ! They will have a patent for it, or a great sum of 

 money from the government, or something of that sort. It would be a sorry 

 who should think that every new thing found out is to be given away to every 



