HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 181 



his room *, and drawing hi.s curtains, he perceived it to 

 proceed from the Lion, which was growling over the bo- 

 dy of the unhappy man, whom it had jufi: killed, and had 

 feparated his head from his body. The terror and con- 

 fufion of the gentleman may be eafily conceived : He 

 flew out of the room ; and, with the affiflance of fome 

 people, had the animal fecured from doing further mif- 

 chief. 



As the paflions of this animal are (trong, an,d its appe- 

 tites vehement, we ought not to prefume that the im^ 

 preffions of education will always be fufiiciently power- 

 ful. It muft be dangerous, therefore, to fuffer it to re- 

 main too long without food, or to perfiit in irritating or 

 abufing it. 



However, numberlefs accounts aflure us, that the an- 

 ger of the Lion is noble, its courage magnanimous, and 

 its temper fufceptible of grateful impreflions. It has 

 been often feen to defpife weak and contemptible ene- 

 mies, and even to pardon their infults, when it was in 

 its power to punifh them : It has been known to fpare 

 the life of an animal that was thrown to be devoured by 

 it, to live in habits of perfect cordiality with it, to fhare 

 its fubfiftence, and even to give it a preference where its 

 portion of food was fcanty. 



The form of the Lion is ftrikingly bold and majeftic i 

 His large and fhaggy mane, which he can erect at plea- 

 fure, furrounding his awful front ; his huge eye-brows ; 

 his round and fiery eye-balls, which, upon the lead irrir 

 tation, feem to glow with peculiar luftre; together with 

 the formidable appearance of his teeth, — exhibit a picture 

 of terrific grandeur, which no words can defcribe. 



The length of the largeft Lion is between eight and 

 M 3 



