certain post at the monarch's disposal. The king informed him that he had just given the appointment to another person. Upon which the gentleman thanked His Majesty most cordially, and expressed his gratitude in such a forcible manner, as to induce the king to inquire the cause of such profusion of thanks, on account of a case which had been refused. "Your courtiers," replied the gentleman, "kept me two years waiting, and gave me endless promises which they never fulfilled, but your Majesty has most generously told me the plain truth at once." "Thou hast answered discreetly," replied the monarch, "and thy request shall be granted."-ANON.

FABLE-THE LION AND THE MOUSE.

A lion, faint with heat and weary with hunting, was laid down to take his repose under the spreading boughs of a thick shady oak. It happened that while he slept, a company of scrambling mice ran over his back and waked him. Upon which, starting up, he clapped his paw upon one of them, and was just going to put it to death when the little supplicant, begging him not to stain his noble character with the blood of so despicable and small a beast, the lion, considering the matter, thought proper to do as he was desired, and immediately released the little prisoner. Not long after, traversing the forest in pursuit of his prey, he chanced to run into the toils of the hunters; from whence, unable to disengage himself, he set up a most hideous and loud roar. The mouse, hearing the voice and knowing it to be the lion's, immediately repaired to the place and bid him fear nothing, for he was his friend. Then straight he fell to work, and with his sharp little teeth, gnawing asunder the knots and fastenings of the toils, set the royal brute at liberty.-Esop's FABLES.

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THE DEBTOR AND HIS CREDITORS.

A body of creditors brought a debtor before the judge, and said, This man has received a large sum of money from us, and will not repay it." The judge enquired of him, What answer do you give to this charge?" He replied, They say truly, and their accusation is just; all I ask is such an amount of consideration as to enable me to sell my herd of camels, to pledge my gardens, and thereby satisfy their demands." The creditors exclaimed, “O sir! he is telling an utter untruth: he does not possess an atom of money, nor a span of land; neither is he the owner of a single sheep, much less of a herd of camels." The debtor rejoined, "O protector of the just! you now hear with your own ears their admission of my poverty and indigence, of what use is it to seek anything from a pauper?" The judge, turning to them, said, "The poor man is under the protection of God!" Accordingly, he delivered the clever debtor out of their hands. PERSIAN TALES.

SIR JOHN JERVIS AND THE DECOY VESSELS.

In the year 1796 Corsica was evacuated by the British, St. Fiorenzo being the last port they held on the island. The French had taken possession of the town and batteries, and all communication with the shore was suspended. The combined French and Spanish fleets were preparing to attack the British at anchor in the bay. Sir John Jervis had information that they meant to attack him by daylight on the following morning. So, as soon as it was dark, he despatched some light vessels of no use, to endeavour to escape by the eastward. They were seen by the enemy, who gave them chase, and separated their fleet. He then fastened a boat with a light suspended to the masthead at

every buoy belonging to his ships, on board of which every light was carefully extinguished; and getting under sail, passed out of the gulf and clear of the enemy's fleet undiscovered; for, whilst part of them were engaged pursuing the light-vessels Sir John Jervis had sent as a decoy, the others were watching the lights in the bay, which they imagined to be those of the British fleet; and only when they bore down to make a certain conquest at daylight, discovered the trick that had deceived them.-LORD BYRON'S VOYAGE TO SICILY.

BEAR CATCHING IN RUSSIA.

In Russia there is a method of catching bears, by digging a pit several feet deep and covering it over with turf, sticks and leaves, upon the top of which a piece of flesh is placed. It may readily be supposed that the bear, as soon as he endeavours to seize the bait, tumbles into the pit. But it is a singular fact that if four or five happen to fall down together, they generally manage to escape by stepping on one another's shoulders, and thus reaching the top of the pit. But the ingenuity of the creatures is chiefly shown by their mode of extricating the last remaining comrade, who obviously cannot follow the example of his more fortunate brethren, there being no friendly shoulder whereon to mount. Accordingly, the sensible brutes run and fetch a large trunk of a tree, one end of which they place at the bottom of the pit, and make as it were a ladder, by means of which the confined bear effects his escape -ANON.

ANECDOTE OF DEAN SWIFT AND THE SERVANT.

A friend of Dean Swift one day sent him a fish as a present, by a servant who had frequently been on similar errands, but who had never received the most trifling mark

of the dean's generosity. Having gained admission, he opened the door of the study, and abruptly putting down his charge cried very rudely, "Master has sent you a fish." "Young man," said the dean, rising from his easy chair, "is that the way you deliver your message? Let me teach you better manners. Sit down in my chair; we will change situations, and I will show you how to behave in future." The boy sat down, and the dean, going to the door, came up to the table with a respectful pace, and making a low bow said, "Sir, my master presents his kind compliments, hopes you are well, and requests your acceptance of a small present." 66 Does he?" replied the boy; "return my best thanks, and there is half-a-crown for yourself." The dean, thus drawn into an act of generosity, laughed heartily, and gave the boy a crown for his wit.-ANON.

NATURE.

What variety of beautiful plants and flowers is there! which can be imagined to be of little other use but for the pleasure of man. And if man had not been, they would have lost their grace, and been trod down by the beasts of the field, without pity or observation; they would not have made them into garlands and nosegays. How many sorts of fruits are there which grow upon high trees, out of the reach of beasts! and, indeed, they take no pleasure in them. What would all the vast bodies of trees have served for, if man had not been to build with them, and made dwellings of them? Of what use would all the mines of metal have been, and of coal, and the quarries of stone? Would the mole have admired the fine gold? Would the beasts of the forest have built themselves palaces, or would they have made fires in their dens ?—TILLOTSON.

ANECDOTE OF A DOG.

During a severe storm a ship was wrecked on the beach, and every human being on board perished. The only living thing which escaped was a large dog of the Newfoundland breed, the property of the captain, which swam ashore, bringing in his mouth his master's pocket-book. He landed on the beach, whither he was driven by the heavy waves, amongst a number of spectators, several of whom endeavoured to take the pocket-book from him, but in vain. The saga

cious animal, as if sensible of the importance of his charge, which had in all probability been delivered to him by his master in the hour of death, and when he saw all hope was gone, at length, after surveying the countenances of those assembled on the beach, leaped fawningly upon the breast of a man who had attracted his notice among the crowd, and delivered the pocket-book to him. The dog. immediately after depositing the rescued treasure into what he considered safe keeping, returned to the place where he had landed, and watched with great attention for everything that was drifted shorewards by the billows from the wrecked vessel, seizing it and endeavouring to bring it to land.— ANECDOTES OF DOGS.

THE JUDGE'S MODE OF DETECTING DISHONESTY.

Two persons entrusted some property to an old woman, and said, "Whenever we both come back we will take it." After several days one of the parties went to the old woman and said, "My companion is dead, so now give me the money." She was helpless and gave it to him. Several days afterwards the other individual came, and demanded the property. The woman exclaimed, "Your comrade has been here, and represented that you were dead, and much