50i HISTORY OF 



Such is this animal in its natural state, swift, fierce, and foi 

 midable : but, in the state of tameness, the ass presents a veiy 

 different picture ; the moment his native liberty is repressed, he 

 seems entirely to give up all claims to freedom ; and he assumes 

 a patience and submission even humbler than his situation. He 

 is, in a state of tameness, the most gentle and quiet of all ani- 

 mals. He suffers with constancy, and, perhaps, with courage, 

 all the ill-treatment that cruelty and caprice are pleased to inflict. 

 He is temperate with regard to the quantity and the quality of 

 his provision. He is contented with the most neglected weeds ; 

 and makes his humble repast upon what the horse and other 

 animals leave behind. If he gives the preference to any vegeta- 

 ble, it is to the plantain ; for which he is often seen to neglect 

 every other herb in the pasture : but he is chiefly delicate with 

 respect to his water ; he drinks only at the clearest brooks, and 

 chiefly those to which he has been accustomed. He drinks as 

 soberly as he eats ; and never, like the horse, dips his nose into 

 the stream. As he is seldom saddled, he frequently rolls him- 

 self upon the grass ; and lies down, for this purpose, as often as 

 he has an opportunity, without minding what becomes of his 

 burden. He never rolls, like the horse, in the mud ; he even 

 fears to wet his feet ; and turns out of his way to avoid the dirty 

 parts of a I'oad. 



When very young, the ass is sprightly, and even tolerably 

 handsome ; but he soon loses these qualifications, either by age 

 or bad treatment, and he becomes slow, stupid, and headstrong. 

 He seems to show no ardour, except for the female, having been 

 often known to die after the covering. The she-ass is not less 

 fond of her young than the male is of her ; and we are assured that 

 she will cross fire and water to protect or rejoin it. This animal 

 is sometimes not less attached to his owner ; by whom he is too 

 often abused. He scents him at a distance, and distinguishes him 

 from others in a crowd •, he knows the ways he has passed, and 

 the places where he inhabits. 



When overloaded the a&s shows 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 

 is covered with the grass while the other is hidden with a stone. 



