130 THE NATURAL HISTORY 



The tortoise, like other reptiles, has an arbitrary stomach 

 as well as lungs; and can refrain from eating as well 

 as breathing- for a great part of the year. When first 

 awakened it eats nothing ; nor again in the autumn before 

 it retires : through the height of the summer it feeds 

 voraciously, devouring all the food that comes in its way. 

 I was much taken with its sagacity in discerning those 

 that do it kind offices ; for, as soon as the good old 

 lady comes in sight who has waited on it for more 

 than thirty years, it hobbles towards its benefactress with 

 awkward alacrity ; but remains inattentive to strangers. 

 Thus not only " the ox knoweth his owner, and the ass 

 his master's crib," l but the most abject reptile and torpid 

 of beings distinguishes the hand that feeds it, and is 

 touched with the feelings of gratitude ! 



I am, etc. etc. 



P.S. In about three days after I left Sussex the tortoise 

 retired into the ground under the hepatica. 



LETTER XIV 



TO THE HONOURABLE DAINES BARRINGTON 



Selborne, March 26, 1773. 



DEAR SIR, 



THE more I reflect on the a-ropyrj of animals, the more I 

 am astonished at its effects. Nor is the violence of this 

 affection more wonderful than the shortness of its duration. 

 Thus every hen is in her turn the virago of the yard, 

 in proportion to the helplessness of her brood ; and will 

 fly in the face of a dog or a sow in defence of those 

 chickens, which in a few weeks she will drive before 

 her with relentless cruelty. 



This affection sublimes the passions, quickens the 

 invention, and sharpens the sagacity of the brute creation. 



1 Isaiah i. 3. 



