196 LETTER XXXIII. 



as the Turks and the Chinese are extremely fond of 

 this article of dress ; and in those two capitals of the 

 Turkish and Chinese empires, a greater quantity of 

 furs are used than in any other two cities of the world. 

 Thus, my dear Sir, you see that the skins of these 

 little quadrupeds constitute an important article in the 

 commerce of a great empire, and one of the sources 

 from which it derives a revenue that enables it to 

 maintain numerous armies, and to stand high in the 

 political scale of nations. This consideration will open 

 to your mind an ample field for reflection on the kar- 

 jnonious plan of nature and Providence. Here, there- 

 fore, I will leave you for a while to expatiate at lei- 

 sure, and conclude with subscribing myself most re- 

 spectfully, - 



Dear Sir, 



Your's, &e. 



LETTER XXIII. 



" The artful, cruel, slender weazel, too, 



Delights in blood. > " SMITH. 



" Thus oft th' iclmtunuH on the banks of Nile, 

 Invades the deadly Aspsi by a wile." LUCAN. 



DEAR SItt, 



As the valuable little quadrupeds, which, in my last 

 letter were, from their commercial importance, consi- 

 dered as a distinct article of natural history, are ge- 

 nerally classed with the weazel kind; I shall resume 

 the subject, and endeavour to entertain you with as 

 brief a description as possible, of some other animals 

 of the same race; and shall, in order to bring the 

 subject into a closer view, preface it with an exhibi- 

 tion of a few general characteristics. 



ANIMALS OF THE WEAZEL KIND 



are distinguished from others of the ciirnivorous race 

 by the length, sleriderness, and the flexibility of their 

 bodies, qualities which enable them to wind into very 

 small crevices, in order to -follow their prey. Here, 



