THE LIO N. 



with delight. The lioness showed equal joy at his return ; but 

 the lion drove her away, angrily refusing to allow her to partake 

 of the man's caresses. Perceiving that a contest was likely to 

 ensue between them, he entered their den, and having pacified 

 them, caressed and received their caresses by turns. 



Hanno, a Carthaginian, was the first who tamed a lion, and 

 for doing so he was condemned to death ; his fellow- citizens 

 asserting that the republic had to fear the worst consequences 

 from a man who had been able to subdue so much ferocity. 

 A little more experience, however, convinced them of the fallacy 

 of that ridiculous judgment. The triumvir Antony, accom- 

 panied by an actress, was publicly drawn by lions in a chariot. 

 In Africa the taming of feline animals has long been prac- 

 tised. The Emperor of Morocco has large open dens at Fez, 

 where lions and tigers are tended by Jewish keepers, who 

 use nothing but a light cane to keep them in subjection j and 

 in the harems of the Pashas of Egypt there are also domes- 

 ticated lions j and a splendid specimen was presented by 

 Mehemet All to the King of France, in June 1839. 



King Soloman is said to have had a couple of lions to guard 

 the entrance to his audience-chamber ; and in Bell's Travels from 

 St. Petersburgh into Asia (1763), we are told that the King of 

 Persia has, on days of audience, two lions chained on each 

 side of the entrance to the room of state. 



The recent exhibitions of Van Amburgh are too fresh in the 

 recollection of most persons to require any account of them 

 here. It was generally, and perhaps correctly, believed by those 

 who saw the extraordinary familiarities which he exhibited 

 with his lions, tigers, &c., that their obedience was rather the 

 result of awe and terror, than of any feeling of affection. His 

 personal strength, the steady gaze of his eye, that 



" would out-stare the sternest eyes that look, 



Outbrave the heart most daring on the earth ; " 



the authoritative tone of his voice, which, to continue the quo- 

 tation, 



" Would mock the lion when he roars for prey ;" 



