family. But it muft be acknowledged, that thofe 

 with whom we have the mod commerce, have al- 

 ready loft fomewhat of this ancient generofity, and 

 of this admirable difintereftednefs. Nothing is more 

 contagious than a felfifh and interefted fpirit, and 

 nothing is more capable of corrupting the morals. 



The feafon of hunting the bear is in winter. 

 Thefe animals are then concealed in the hollow 

 trunks of trees, in which if they happen to fall they 

 make themfelves a den with their roots, the entry « 

 of which they flop with pine branches, by which 

 means they are perfectly well fheltered from all the 

 inclemencies of the weather. If all this is (till in- 

 fufricient, they make a hole in the ground, taking 

 great care to flop the mouth well when once they are 

 entered. Some have been feen couched in the bottom 

 of their dens, fo as to be hardly perceivable, even 

 when examined very nearly. But in whatever man- 

 ner the bear is lodged, he never once quits his a- 

 partments all the winter ; this is a circumftance 

 paft all manner of doubt. It is no lefs certain, 

 that he lays up no manner of provifton, and con- 

 fequently that he muft of neceffity live all that 

 while without tailing food or drink, and that as 

 fome have advanced his fole nourishment is the 

 licking his paws ; but with refpedt to this particu- 

 lar, every one is at liberty to believe as he pleafes. 

 What is certain, is, that fome of them have been 

 kept chained for a whole winter, without having 

 the leaft morfel of food, or any drink given them, 

 and at the end of fix months, they have been found 

 as fat as in the beginning. It is no doubt furprif- 

 ing enough, that an animal, provided of fo warm 

 a fur, and which is far from having a delicate ap- 

 pearance, fhould take more precautions again ft the 

 cold than any other. This may ferve to convince 

 ' M 4 us, 



