THE COMMON HARE. 301 



" Bess, who died soon after he was full grown, 

 and whose death was occasioned by being turned 

 into his box, which had been washed, while it was 

 yet damp, was a Hare of great humour and drollery. 

 Puss was tamed by gentle usage ; Tiney was not to 

 be tamed at all; and Bess had a courage and con- 

 fidence that made him tame from the beginning. I 

 always admitted them into the parlour after supper, 

 when the carpet affording their feet a firm hold, 

 they would frisk, and bound, and play a thousand 

 gambols, in which Bess, being remarkably strong 

 and fearless, was always superior to the rest, and 

 proved himself the Vestris of the party. One even- 

 ing, the Cat being in the room, had the hardiness 

 to pat Bess upon the cheek; an indignity which he 

 resented by drumming upon her back with such 

 violence, that the Cat was happy to escape from 

 under his paws, and hide herself. 



" I describe these animals as having each a cha- 

 racter of his own. Such they were in fact; and 

 their countenances were so expressive of that 

 character, that, when I looked only on the face of 

 either, I immediately knew which it was. It is said 

 that a shepherd, however numerous his flock, soon 

 becomes so familiar with their features, that he can, 

 by that indication only, distinguish each from the 

 rest ; and yet, to a common observer, the dif- 

 ference is hardly perceptible. I doubt not that 

 the same discrimination, in the cast of counte- 

 nances, would be discoverable in Hares; and am 



persuaded 



