HUMAN NATURE AND BRUTE NATURE. 83 



same time that the very lion which he had hefriended 

 was sent thither, among many others, to supply the 

 cruel sports of the amphitheatre. The moment came 

 when Androcles was to he torn in pieces. A huge 

 famished lion rushed forth in fury upon him ; then 

 paused, crept gently towards him, and ended by 

 fawning upon him with caressing movements. It was 

 the lion lie had known in the desert. 



This is no fable, but a piece of well-known history ; 

 and the sequel is equally well-known, that the ap- 

 plause and admiration of all beholders at this won- 

 derful instance of fraternity between man and beast, 

 at this marvellous exemplification of the powers of 

 memory and gratitude in a wild animal, secured the 

 lives both of slave and lion. 



Had this been recorded in the Hebrew Scriptures, 

 in that noble and reverent phraseology which so often 

 leaves out of sight all secondary causes as by com- 

 parison insignificant, and ascribes all that is good and 

 wonderful directly to God, there can be little doubt 

 that it would have borne a striking resemblance to 

 the miracles wrought in favour of Elijah and Daniel ; 

 when for the one God commanded the ravens to feed 

 him, and the ravens brought him bread and flesh in 

 the morning and bread and flesh in the evening ; and 

 for the other God sent his angel and stopped the 

 mouths of the lions even in their den, and they did 

 him no hurt. Explain these miracles as you will, and 

 the kindred one quoted by St. Peter, or accept them 

 all without explanation as occurrences out of the 



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