162 UP AND DOWN THE BROOKS. 



to him who reads the Koran, to him who prays 

 for pardon, and to the cock whose chant is divine 

 melody." So near together are the Koran and 

 this brook. Art and this brook's visitors might 

 claim some kin, too, for would not these hens be 

 interested in knowing that Gaddo Gaddi at Flor- 

 ence employed himself in making small pictures 

 in mosaic of egg-shells, " finished with incredible 

 industry and patience " ? 



If men were not so stupidly deaf as not to 

 hear the crowing of Mahomet's cock, perhaps the 

 officer called the " King's Cock-Grower " would 

 never have existed, and so one prince of the 

 House of Hanover would have escaped being star- 

 tled. For it is written that formerly during Lent 

 the King's Cock-Grower crowed the hour every 

 night within the confines of the palace, -and so, on 

 the first Ash Wednesday after the new House 

 came to the throne, the Prince of Wales, after- 

 ward George II., was astonished, before his worthy 

 chaplain had said grace at supper, by an officer 

 suddenly entering and crowing the words " Past 

 ten o'clock." 



And Prince George in his wrath, not under- 

 standing English, concluded that he was being 

 insulted and rose to avenge the wrongs of the 

 House of Brunswick, and had it not been for 

 humble explanations, he would probably have fin- 

 ished the career of the man who tried to be a cock. 



I think the rooster at the brook would enjoy 



