THE ASS. 



THE wild ass, which was formerly well known in the 

 East, and which is frequently mentioned in Scripture, 

 is a much finer animal than the one with which we are 

 familiar. Roaming at liberty, in the desert or on the 

 mountains, and so swift as to weary every pursuer, it 

 appears as guided only by its own will. Hence " vain 

 man " is said to " be born like a wild ass's colt ;" and it is 

 by Divine power alone that the corruptions of his fallen 

 nature can be checked, and that he can be brought into 

 the path of God's commandments. 



The domestic ass is so well known, as to require no 

 particular description. In the East it is, like the wild 

 ass, superior in all respects to our own ; and so highly is 

 it valued, as to be preferred to the horse for many 

 purposes. In the days of the Judges, to ride on an ass 

 seems to have been no common distinction. One of 

 them, Jair, the Gileadite, had thirty sons, who rode on 

 thirty asses' colts ; and they had thirty cities which are 



