others in a crowd ; he knows the way he has passed, and 

 the places where he inhabits. 



"When over-loaded, the ass shews the injustice of his 

 master, by hanging down his head and lowering his ears ; 

 when he is too hard pressed, he opens his mouth, and 

 draws back his lips in a very disagreeable manner. If his 

 eyes are covered, he will not stir a step ; and if he is laid 

 down in such a manner that one eye is covered with the 

 grass while the other is covered whh a stone, or whatever 

 is next at hand, he will continue fixed in the same situation 

 and will not so much as attempt to rise, to free himself 

 from those slight impediments. He walks, trots, and 

 gallops like a horse ; but, although he sets out very free at 

 first, yet he is soon tired ; and then no beating will make 

 him mend his pace. It is in vain that his unmerciful 

 rider exerts his whip or his cudgel ; the poor little animal 

 bears it all with patience, and without a groan ; and, con- 

 scious of his own weakness, does not offer even to move. 



Notwithstanding the stupid heaviness of his air, he may 

 be educated with as much ease as any other animal, and 

 several have been brought up to perform, and exhibited as 

 a show. In general, however, the poor animal is entirely 

 neglected. Man despises this humble useful creature, 

 whose efforts are exerted to please him, and whose ser- 

 vices are too cheaply purchased. The horse is the only 

 favourite, and upon him alone all expense and labour are 

 bestowed. He is fed, attended, and stabled, while the 

 poor ass is abandoned to the cruelty of the lowest rustics, 

 or even to the sport of wicked children, and, instead of 

 gaining by the lessons he receives, is always a loser. He 

 is conducted on by blows ; he is insulted by unnecessary 

 stripes ; he is overloaded by the lazy ; and, being generally 

 the property of the poor," he shares with them in their 

 wants and distresses. Thus this faithful animal, which, 

 were there no horses, would be the first of all four footed 

 beasts in our esteem, is now considered as nothing ; his 

 properties and qualifications being found in a Higher 

 degree elsewhere, he is entirely disregarded ; and from 

 being the second, he is degraded into one of the most 

 useless of the domestic quadrupeds. 



