334 TRAVELLERS NE'ER DO LIE. 



The saint still further ' butters his fish ' by re- 

 minding them, among other things, that they were 

 specially favoured by God at the time of the uni- 

 versal deluge, they being the only species of crea- 

 tures that were insensible of the mischief that had 

 laid waste the whole world ! He then begs of them, 

 as they are not provided with words, to make some 

 sign of reverence ; give some show of gratitude, 

 according to the best of their capacities ; express 

 their thanks in the most becoming manner that 

 they are able, and be not unmindful of all the 

 benefits which the divine Majesty has bestowed 

 upon them. 



He had no sooner done speaking, but behold a 

 miracle! The fish, as though they had been endued 

 with reason, bowed down their heads with all the 

 marks of a profound devotion, and then went 

 joyously bobbing around with a kind of fondness, as 

 in approval of what had been spoken by the blessed 

 father, St. Anthony. 



Many of the heretics, as a matter of course, were 

 converted at beholding the miracle ; and the polite 

 and pious little fishes, having received his benedic- 

 tion, were dismissed by the saint. 



Shakspeare authoritatively asserts that 



4 Travellers ne'er do lie, 

 Though fools at home condemn them.' 



Here I beg to differ with the sweet Bard of Avon, 

 who, I am sure, would have retracted his statement 



