disposition, render the dog, in its savage state, a formidable enemy to all other animals; but these readily give way to very different qualities in the domestic dog, whose only ambition seems the desire to please. He is seen to come crouching along, to lay his force, his courage, and all his useful talents, at the feet of his master; he waits his orders, to which he pays implicit obedience; he consults his looks, and a single glance is sufficient to put him in motion; he is more faithful even than the most boasted among men; he is constant in his affections, friendly without interest, and grateful for the slightest favors; much more mindful of benefits received than injuries offered; he is not driven off by unkindness, but still continues humble, submissive, and imploring; his only hope, to be serviceable-his only terror, to displease; he licks the hand that has been just lifted to strike him, and at last disarms resentment by submissive perseverance. More docile than man, more obedient than any other animal, he is not only instructed in a short time, but he also conforms to the dispositions and the manners of those who command him. He takes his tone from the house he inhabits; like the rest of the domestics, he is disdainful among the great, and churlish among clowns. Always assiduous in serving his master, and only a friend to his friends, he is indifferent to all the rest, and declares himself openly against such as seem to be dependent like himself. When at night, the guard of the house is committed to his care, he seems proud of the charge; he continues a watchful sentinel, he goes his rounds, scents strangers at a distance, and gives them warning of his being upon duty. If they attempt to break in upon his territories, he becomes more fierce, flies at them, threatens, fights, and either conquers alone, or alarms those who have most interest in coming to his assistance; however, when he has conquered, he quietly reposes upon the spoil, and abstains from what he has deterred others from abusing; giving thus at once a lesson of courage, temperance, and fidelity.

It may seem strange, at first sight, that an animal possessing so many excellent qualities should almost uniformly be spoken of in scripture in such terms as indicate it to have been held in great contempt among the Jewish people. But for this there may have been more than one reason. In the first place, its vicious dispositions and habits are almost as numerous and important as the valuable qualities which we have noticed. Its insatiable voracity has become proverbial; and its wrathful and truculent lisposition is such, that it not unfrequently attacks and maims a stranger without the slightest provocation. No animal, says Scaliger, is more unsocial ; for in the largest buildings two of them can scarcely live peaceably together; and so great is its selfishness, that it desires to possess everything itself, and never submits to share its booty with others but by force. Its shameless impudence is well known; it is strongly alluded to in 2 Sam. iii. 7, 8, as well as in several other places. But it is probable that the circumstance which caused the dog to be branded with a mark of infamy under the Mosaic law, and to be

held in such contempt by the Jews, was, that it formed a conspicuous figure among the divinities of ancient Egypt.

It is well known, that the Turks also reckon the dog an unclean and filthy creature, and drive him from their houses. In Turkey, therefore, dogs are in common, not belonging to any particular owners, and guard rather the streets and districts than particular houses. This, indeed, seems to be the common treatment they meet with in the East; for even in Egypt they are now as much abhorred as they were formerly venerated. An idea may be formed in what detestation it is held in that country, when it is seen, that the most scurrilous epithet which they bestow on a European or a Christian is a dog. Compare 1 Sam. xvii. 43; xxiv. 14; 2 Sam. xvi. 9; 2 Kings viii. 13, &c.

To the prowling of these deserted and houseless animals the Psalmist evidently alludes, in speaking of his enemies, who waylaid his steps and watched for his life: 'They return at the evening; they make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city,' (Psalm lix. 6); and viewing, in the spirit of prophecy, their future punishment and destitution, he adds, 'And at evening let them return; and let them make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city. Let them wander up and down for meat, and grudge if they be not satisfied,' ver. 14, 15.

In the sacred writings, the reproachful epithet of dog is applied to the Gentiles, who were without the covenant of promise, (Matt. xiv. 26); to the despisers of religion, (ch. vii. 6); to the worldly and carnal professors who had thrust themselves into the ministerial office, (Phil. iii. 2); and to relentless persecutors, Ps. xxii. 16, 20.

THE hog, in its domestic state, is the most sordid and brutal animal in nature. The awkwardness of its form seems to influence its appetites, and all its sensations are as gross as its shape is unsightly. It seems possessed only of an insatiable desire of eating; and seems to make choice only of whatever other animals find the most offensive. By nature, it is the most stupid, inactive, and drowsy; if undisturbed, it would sleep half its time; but it is frequently awakened by the calls of appetite, which, when it has satisfied, it goes to rest again. Its whole life is thus a round of sleep and glute tony; and if supplied with sufficient food, it soon grows unfit even for its own existence; its flesh becomes a greater load than its legs are able to support, and it continues to feed lying down or kneeling, a helpless instance of indulged sensuality. Most of the diseases of this animal arise from intemperance: measles, imposthumes, and scrofulous swellings, are reckoned among the number.

The flesh of swine was expressly forbidden to the Jews, by the Levitical law (Lev. xi. 7,) on account of its filthy character, as some think, as well as because the flesh, being strong and difficult to digest, afforded a very gross kind of aliment, and was apt to produce cutaneous, scorbutic, and scrofulous disorders, especially in hot climates. Maimonides says, "The principal reason wherefore the law prohibited the swine was, because of their extreme filthiness, and their eating so many impurities; for it is well known with what care and precision the law forbids all filthiness and dirt, even in the fields and in the camp, not to mention the cities. Now, had swine been permitted, the public places, and streets, and houses, would have been made nuisances.'

In the time of Isaiah, however, (chap. lxv. 4), the eating of swine's flesh is enumerated among the abominations that had been adopted by the degenerate Hebrews; and their punishment is denounced

in the next chapter: "They that sanctify and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the Lord,' ch. lxvi. 17.

In Matthew vii. 6, we have an injunction, which, as it stands in the English version, requires exposition: 'Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither 'cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.' As this passage is now read, both the malignant acts are most improperly referred to the swine. Dr. A. Clarke has restored the proper sense by transposing the lines, and bishop Jebb, availing himself of the hint, has shown the passage to be one of those introverted parallelisms which abound in the sacred writings. In the

corrected form it reads thus:

Give not that which is holy to the dogs;

Neither cast your pearls before the swine;
Lest they trample them under their feet,
And turn about and rend you.

Here the first line is related to the fourth, and the second to the third; and the sense becomes perfectly clear, on thus adjusting the parallelism :

Give not that which is holy to the dogs,
Lest they turn about and rend you;
Neither cast your pearls before the swine,
Lest they trample them under their feet.

The more dangerous act of imprudence, with its fatal result, is placed first and last, so as to make and to leave the deepest practical impression. To cast pearls before swine, is to place the pure and elevated morality of the gospel before sensual and besotted wretches.

To give that which is holy to the dogs, is to produce the deep truths of Christianity before the malignant and profane, who will not fail to add injury to neglect: who will not only hate the doctrine, but persecute the teacher. In either case, an indiscreet and over-profluent zeal may do serious mischief to the cause of goodness; but in the latter case, the injury will fall with heightened severity, both on religion, and on religion's injudicious friends. The warning, therefore, against the dogs, is emphatically placed at the commencement and the close,

FEROCIOUS WILD BEASTS.

HAVING noticed the several animals brought under the subjections of man, that are mentioned in scripture, we proceed to notice those which have hitherto eluded his efforts for their subjugation, and still maintain their wild and savage independence. Among these, beasts of prey naturally claim the first place.

THE outward form of this noble animal seems to bespeak his internal generosity. His figure is striking, his look confident and bold, his gait proud, and his voice terrible. His stature is not overgrown, like that of the elephant, or rhinoceros; nor is his shape clumsy, like that of the hippopotamus, or the ox. It is compact, well proportioned, and sizeable; a perfect model of strength, joined with agility. It is muscular and bold, neither charged with fat nor unnecessary flesh. It is sufficient but to see him in order to be assured of his superior force. His large head, surrounded with a