8 The Poets Beasts. 



lion, like some chivalrous knight of the Crusades, challeng- 

 ing attack from overwhelming numbers, and defying superior 

 strength. 



No lion in the flesh behaves as Dryden's *' kingly beast " 

 that guides his pursuers to where he stands, " with roar of 

 seas directs his chasers' way," that " provokes the hunters 

 from afar, and dares them to the fray," and that " roars out 

 with loud disdain, and slowly moves, unknowing to give 

 place ; " or, as Thomson's — 



" Despising flight, 

 The rouscd-up lion, resolute and slow 

 Advancing full on the protended spear," 



or as many other lions of poetry do, that scorn to turn from 

 a foe. 



As a matter of fact, the lion, of all beasts of prey, is one 

 of the readiest to avoid a scrimmage. King James used to 

 try to divert his friends with lion-fights in the Tower, but, 

 according to Howes' Chronicle, his Majesty always failed, 

 owing to the captives' objections to fighting. " Then were 

 divers other lions put into that place one after another, but 

 they showed no more sport nor valour than the first ; and 

 every one of them, so soon as they espied the trap-doors 

 open, ran hastily into their dens. Lastly, there were put 

 forth together the two young lusty lions which were bred in 

 that yard, and were now grown great. These at first began 

 to march proudly towards the bear, which the bear perceiv- 

 ing came hastily out of a corner to meet them, but both lion 

 and lioness skipped up and down and fearfully fled from 

 the bear ; and so these, like the former lions, not willing to 

 endure any fight, sought the next way into their den." But 

 ])crhaps this forbearance is like that of the late Mr. T, 

 .Sayers, who, it is said, " never liked to hit a man who didn't 

 know who he was." He was afraid of killing him in all 

 his ignorance, fco before he hit him he always told the 



