ON HABITS OF OBSERVING. 23 



reflection ? * To speak of the frolics of a lamb, so 

 familiar to every one, or of the evident signs of 

 happiness in all young animals, would be quite 

 superfluous. But the same signs of happiness 

 appear everywhere, even in the lower tribes of ani- 

 mated nature. It will be remembered by those, who 

 are conversant with Paley's Natural Theology, how 

 he has adduced the instance of swarms of young 

 shrimps, which he had observed jumping repeatedly 

 out of the water, from no apparent motive but that 

 of the feeling of happiness, as one of the many 

 proofs of " the goodness of the Deity." He consi- 

 dered it as speaking to the fact of His having not 

 merely provided for the wants of His creatures, but 



* The reader will probably remember Cowper's humorous lines 

 in his " Epitaph on a Hare :" 



A Turkey carpet was his lawn, 



Whereon he lov'd to bound, 

 To skip and gambol like a fawn, 



And swing his rump around. 



His frisking was at ev'ning hours, 



For then he lost his fear ; 

 But most before approaching show'rs, 



Or when a storm drew near. 



Eight years and five round-rolling moons 



He thus saw steal away, 

 Dozing out all his idle noons, 



And ev'ry night at play. 



I kept him for his humour's sake, 



For he would oft beguile 

 My heart of thoughts, that made it ache, 



And force me to a smile. 



