-Ml THE COUNTRY CLERGYMAN. 



Ixmrhood being under repair, the bells on the 

 ground floor were taken down. When the ser- 

 vants were wanted, an old favourite terrier was 

 told to go up stairs to the dressing-room of his 

 mistress, and ring the bell. A string and a piece 

 of wood were tied to it, which the dog took between 

 his teeth, and pulled. He then listened, and if 

 the bell did not ring, he pulled the string again till 

 he heard it, and then he returned to the room he 

 ad left. If a piece of paper was put into his 

 mouth with a message written on it, he would carry 

 it to any person he was told to go to, and would 

 wait to bring back the answer, or any small parcel 

 that was put to his mouth. When he failed in 

 doing these, or any other of his numerous tricks as 

 soon as he was ordered, he was told to go into the 

 corner of the room, where he placed himself, and 

 never offered to come from it till he was called. 

 When he did so, he either left it, hanging his head 

 and creeping as if he was ashamed, or else jumping 

 and shewing joy, according as his mistress had 

 told him he was still in disgrace or forgiven. 



Dr. Hastings in continuation said, that the doci- 

 lity and sagacity of animals have always been con- 

 sidered as wonderful, but that this wonder is partly 

 the effect of want of observation. Man is unquestion- 

 ably the chief of the animal creation, the other ani- 

 mals, according to the number of instincts, or which 

 is the same thing, according to the mental powjers 



