THE ASS. S3 



Interesting anecdote. 



The generally received opinion, that asses are 

 stubborn and intractable animals, alike unmoved 

 by harsh or affectionate usage is in a great mea- 

 sure unfounded ; as will appear from the follow- 

 ing anecdote, related in Church's Cabinet of 

 Quadrupeds, on the authority of my friend Mr. 

 Swan : 



" An old man, who a few years ago sold vege- 

 tables in London, used in his employment an ass, 

 which conveyed his baskets from door to door. 

 Frequently he gave the poor industrious creature 

 a handful of hay, or some pieces of bread, or 

 greens, by way of refreshment and reward. The 

 old man had no need of any goad for the ani- 

 mal, and seldom indeed had he to lift up his 

 hand to drive it on. His kind treatment was one 

 day remarked to him, and he was asked whether 

 his beast were apt to be stubborn ? " Ah ! mas- 

 ter," replied he, " it is of no use to be cruel, and 

 as for stubbornness I cannot complain; for he is 

 ready to do any thing, and go any where. 1 bred 

 him myself. He is sometimes skittish and play- 

 ful, and once ran away from me; you will hardly 

 believe it, but there were more than fifty people 

 after him, attempting in vain to stop him; yet 

 he turned back of himself, and never stopped till 

 he ran his head kindly into my bosom." 



