less than ourselves, to life, liberty, and enjoyment. The figns of agony, which, when tormented, they express, by the quick and various contortions of their bodies, he neither understood, nor would attend to.

Alexis had a microscope; and he defired his companion, one day, to examine a most beautiful and surprising animal. Mark, faid he, how it is ftudded from head to tail with black and filver, and its body all over beset with the most curious briftles! The head contains a pair of lively eyes, encircled with filver hairs.; and the trunk confifts of two parts, which fold over each other. The whole body is ornamented with plumes and decorations, which furpass all the luxuries of dress, in the courts of the greatest princes. Pleafed and astonished with what he faw, the youth was impatient to know the name and properties of this wonderful animal. It was withdrawn from the magnifier; and when offered to his naked eye,

proved to be a poor fly, which had been the victim of his wanton cruelty.

THE HONOUR AND ADVANTAGE OF A CONSTANT ADHERENCE TO TRUTH.

ETRARCH, a celebrated Italian Poet,

PETRARCH,

who flourished about four hundred years ago, recommended himself to the confidence and affection of Cardinal Colonna, in whofe family he refided, by his candour, and ftrict regard to truth. A violent quarrel occurred in the houshold of this nobleman, which was carried fo far, that recourfe was had to arms. The Cardinal wished to know the foundation of this affair; and that he might be able to decide with justice, he affembled all his people, and obliged them to bind themselves, by a moft folemn oath on the Gospels, to declare the whole truth. Every one, without exception, fubmitted to this determination; even the Bishop of Luna, brother to the Cardinal, was not

excufed.

excufed. Petrarch, in his turn, presenting himself to take the oath, the Cardinal clofed the book, and faid, "As to you, Petrarch, your word is fufficient."*

A story similar to this, is related of Zenocrates, an Athenian Philosopher, who lived three hundred years before Chrift, and was educated in the school of Plato. The people of Athens entertained so high an opinion of his probity, that one day when he approached the altar, to confirm by an oath the truth of what he had afferted, the judges unanimously declared his word to be fufficient evidence.

SLOTH CONTRASTED WITH INDUSTRY.

THE

HE Sloth is an animal of South America; and is fo ill formed for motion, that a few paces are often the journey of a week; and fo indifpofed to

* See the Life of Petrarch, elegantly translated by Mrs. Dobfon.

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move,

move, that he never changes his place, but when impelled by the feverest stings of hunger. He lives upon the leaves, fruit, and flowers of trees, and often on the bark itself, when nothing befides is left for his fubfiftence, As a large quantity of food is neceffary for his fupport, he generally strips a tree of all its verdure in lefs than a fortnight: And being then deftitute of food, he drops down, like a lifeless mafs, from the branches to the ground. After remaining torpid fome time, from the shock received by the fall, he prepares for a journey to fome neighbouring tree, to which he crawls with a motion almost imperceptible. At length arrived, he afcends the trunk, and devours, with famished appetite, whatever the branches afford. By confuming the bark, he foon deftroys the life of the tree; and thus the fource is loft, from which his fuftenance is derived.

Such is the miferable state of this flothful animal. How different are the comforts

comforts and enjoyments of the induftrious Beaver! This creature is found in the northern parts of America; and is about two feet long, and one foot high. The figure of it fomewhat resembles that of a rat. In the months of June and July, the beavers affemble, and form a fociety which generally confifts of more than two hundred. They always fix their abode by the fide of a lake or river; and in order to make a dead water in that part which lies above and below, they erect, with incredible labour, a dam or pier, perhaps fourscore or a hundred feet long, and ten or twelve feet thick at the base. When this dike is compleated, they build their feveral apartments, which are divided into three ftories. The first is below the level of the mole, and is for the most part full of water. The walls of their habitations are perpendicular, and about two feet thick. If any wood project from them, they cut it off with their teeth, which are more ferviceable than faws: And by the help of their tails, they plaifter all their works with a D 4 kind