104 
PASSIONAL ZOOLOGY. 
Why do his ears, straight in domesticity, fall downward in a 
state of liberty, quite the contrary to what takes place in the dog ? 
THE ASS. 
At a lower degree than the horse in the varieties of species, we 
meet the Ass — primitive emblem of the peasant — sovereign despiser 
of dress and of fine language, who, for his nourishment and dwell- 
ing, is contented with every thing. The water-carrier, the ass’s 
companion in trouble — the native water-carrier of the mountains 
of Auvergne — does not shine any more by the atticism of his lan- 
guage, the elegance of his manners, or the choiceness of his table. 
There is relationship between the ass and the Auvergnat, as be- 
tween the gentleman and the Arab horse. 
This is not the first acquaintance between the ass and analogy. 
It is several thousand years since history and fable have introduced 
them. Sacred history especially has made much account of this 
poor beast, which the Saviour was wont to ride. He was first 
baptized a Christian because he bore upon his back a cross — -the em- 
blem of tribulations. He seemed to love briars and thistles, and 
he has been compared to the philosopher, who bears calmly all 
the bitterness of existence — to the just man, who, in order to gain 
Heaven, has renounced the pomps and vanities of Satan. Be- 
cause it was remarked that this prudent beast does not wdliingly 
traverse the dangerous passages where he has once stumbled, he 
has been compared to the wise, who shuns with care the snare 
which has once deceived him. Finally, because the ass has little 
confidence in new waters, and has to be coaxed to make him drink 
at unknown watering-places, he has passed for a model of pru- 
dence and fidelity to the Church — for the beau ideal of the be- 
liever who resists heresy and new ideas, and repulses the right of 
examination. The spirit of darkening council, and of systematic 
repulsion of new ideas, which dominates in the character of the 
ass, and which he loves to display, has never constituted wisdom. 
On the contrary, the ass, which is the emblem of the coarse peas- 
ant, and of narrow conservatism, sins above all by his indolence 
of intellect. It is not so much the love of old customs which 
retains him in the harness of routine as it is the fear of what is 
