have been allowed by these magnanimous beasts to partake of their food. The lion Hector, kept at Exeter 'Change, was so tame as to permit the keeper to enter his den and play with him; but the man was never so rash as to attempt any familiarities during the time of his feeding. This animal was so much attached to his keeper, that during the man's absence, occasioned by illness, he refused a considerable part of his food, and exhibited symptoms of the greatest uneasiness. As soon as the man recovered, and went to the den, the animal seemed overjoyed at the re-appearance of his friend, and from that time, took his food as usual.

The following story will further prove that the lion, is capable of the strongest attachment to man, and though the circumstances are said to have happened a great many hundred years ago, the account may be relied on as authentic.

There was a certain slave named Androcles, who was so ill treated by his master, that his life became insupportable. Finding no remedy for what he suffered, he at length said to himself; "It is better to die than continue to live in such hardships and misery as I am obliged to suffer. I am determined, therefore, to run away from my master." If I am taken again, I know I shall be punished with a eruel death; but it is better to die at once,

than to live in misery. If I escape, I must betake myself to déserts and woods, inhabited only by wild beasts; but they cannot use me more cruelly, than I have been used by iny fellow creatures; therefore, I will rather trust myself to them, than continue to be a miserable slave."

Having formed this resolution, he took an opportunity of leaving his master's house, and hid himself in a thick forest, which was at some miles distance from the city. But here, the unhappy man found that he had only escaped from one kind of misery to experience another. He wandered about all day through a waste and trackless wood, where his flesh was continually torn by thorns and brambles, he grew hungry, but could find no food in this dreary solitude; at length he was ready to die with fatigue, and lay down in despair in a large cavern, which he found by accident.

The unfortunate man had not lain long quiet in the cavern, before he heard a dreadful noise, which seemed to be the roar of some wild beast, and terrified him very much. He started up with a design of escape, and had already reached the mouth of the cave, when he saw coming towards him, a lion of a prodigious size, which prevented any possibility of Letreat. The unfortunate man now believed his destruction to be inevitable; but, to his

great astonishment, the beast advanced towards him with a gentle`pace, without any mark of enmity or rage, and uttered a kind of mournful voice, as if he demanded the assistance of the man. Androcles, who was naturally of a resolute disposition, acquired courage from this circumstance to examine his monstrous guest, who gave him sufficient leisure for that purpose. He saw, as the lion approached him, that he seemed to limp upon one of his legs, and that the foot was extremely swelled, as if it had been wounded.-Acquiring still more fortitude from the gentle demeanour of the beast, he advanced up to him and took hold of the wounded paw, as a surgeon would examine his patient. He then perceived that a thorn of uncommon size had penetrated the ball of the foot, and was the occasion of the swelling and lameness which he had observed. Androcles found that the beast, far from resenting this familiarity, received it with the greatest gentleness, and seemed to invite him by his blandishments to proceed: He therefore, extracted the thorn, and pressing the swelling, discharged a considerable quantity of matter, which had been the cause of so much pain and uneasiness. As soon as the beast felt himself thus relieved, he began to testify his joy and gratitude by every expression within his power. He jumped about like a wanton

spaniel, wagged his enormous tail, and licked the feet and hands of his physician. Nor was he contented with these demonstrations of kindness; from this moment, Androcles became his guest: nor did the lion ever sally forth in quest of prey, without bringing home the produce of his chase, and sharing it with his friend. In this savage state of hospitality, did the man continue to live during the space of several months: At length, wandering unguardedly through the woods, he met with a company of soldiers sent out to apprehend him, and was by them taken prisoner, and conducted back to his master. The laws of that country being very severe against slaves, he was tried and found guilty of having fled from his master, and, as a punishment for this pretended crime, he was sentenced to be torn in pieces by a furious lion, kept many days without food, to inspire him with additional rage.

When the destined moment arrived, the unhappy man was exposed unarmed, in the midst of a spacious area, inclosed on every side, round which, many thousand people were as ́sembled to view the mournful spectacle. Presently a dreadful yell was heard, which struck the spectators with horror, and a monstrous lion rushed out of a den, which was purposely set open, and rushed forward, with erected mane, and flaming eyes, and jaws