MON. 
2m 
This alteration in the lion's disposition suffi- 
ciently shows that he might easily be tamed, and 
admit of a certain degree of education. In fact, 
nothing is more common than for the keepers 
©f the wild beasts to play with this animal, to 
pull out his tongue, and even to chastise him 
without a cause. He seems to bear it all with 
the utmost composure ; and We very rarely have 
instances of his revenging these unprovoked sal-* 
lies of impertinent cruelty. However, when his 
anger is at last excited, the consequences are ter- 
rible. Labat tells us of a gentleman who kept 
a lion in his chamber, and employed a servant to 
attend it ; who, as is usual, mixed his blows with 
caresses. This ill judged association continued 
for some time ; till one morning the gentleman 
was awakened by a noise in his room, which, at 
first, he could not tell the cause of ; but, draw- 
ing the curtains, he perceived a horrid spectacle ; 
the lion growling over the man's head, which he 
had separated from the body, and tossing it round 
the floor. He immediately, therefore, flew into 
the next room, called to the people without, and 
had the animal secured from doing further mis- 
chief. However, this single account is not suffi- 
cient to weigh against the many instances we 
every day see of this creature's gentleness and 
submission. He is often bred up with other do- 
mestic animals, and is seen to play innocently 
and familiarly among them ; and, if it ever hap- 
pens that his natural ferocity returns, it is seldom 
exerted against his benefactors. As his passion# 
are strong, and his appetites vehement, one ought 
not to presume that the impressions of edu cation* 
will always prevail ; so that it would be danger- 
ous, in such circumstances, to suffer him to remain* 
too long without food, or to persist in irritating; 
and abusing him : however, numberless accounts 
VOL I-,. * P 
