On coming to the door, she displaced both the wooden pegs as before, and then tried to get in. Finding herself baffled in the attempt, she took up the pegs in her mouth, and removed them a short distance off, appearing to imagine that by doing so she should attain her object. She then returned to the charge, and failing again to open the door, she again took up the pegs, and carried them further off still, and this system she persevered in for some time, removing the pegs further and further, and then again attempting the door, till finding all endeavours futile, she abandoned her attempts. It seems almost a necessary inference from the above relation to believe that something more than mere instinct (according to its usual definition) must have been at work in this instance. It was in fact the reasoning of a child, and indeed precisely the same kind of expedient that many children of about two years of age might resort to in hopes of attaining their object. As a further illustration of this subject, I will mention an anecdote recently communicated to me by a well-known officer of high rank in the British army. He had two dogs of the terrier breed the one rough-coated, and of rather large size, of great intelligence and great attachment, named Pincher. The other was a very small smoothcoated snarling little animal, but an excellent house guard, named Jacko. These animals lived together on very friendly terms, domiciled generally in the housekeeper's room, where they were great favourites. One Sunday evening, the servants were summoned to prayers, leaving the room with their supper on the table, the cook only remaining in the kitchen adjoining the supper-room. In a short time Pincher went into the kitchen, and pulled the cook's gown, who supposing he was begging for food, chid the animal and drove him away. In a few minutes he returned, and again pulled at the cook's garments, when he was again reproved. A third time he came, and pulled at her gown with more vehemence, when wondering at the cause, she followed him to the supper-room, where the first thing she saw was little Jacko helping himself to the supper. In this instance it is impossible not to suppose that Pincher knew right from wrong, and that he thought it his duty to report the wrong done, although by his playfellow and friend, to the person in authority. Here, in fact, a degree of intelligence was shewn, which is nearly allied to reason. The following is an instance of a sort of eccentricity in an ass, but of such an ass as the learned Dogberry could not justly have written down an ass in his sense of the word. A gentleman from whom I received the anecdote, was walking down a lane near a town in Norfolk, when he found himself in company with the following personages -- an ass, with a lubberly youth of seventeen or eighteen years old upon his back, beating the animal most unmercifully with a thick stick on the head and neck an old man armed with a hedge-stake striking at the hocks and hind-quarters, and a boy of eleven or twelve, also with a stick, cutting here and there as opportunity offered. The animal was certainly as awkward as an animal could well be, kicking, turning round, and throwing his feet upon the raised footpath, at the same time resolutely refusing to stir one step in advance. "Isn't this a nice brute we've got here, Sir," said the old man to my informant, "we have been trying this three-quarters of an hour to get him on and we can't." The gentleman told him he would try what he could do, and having disarmed the three of their sticks, and laid them on the path, commenced a milder course of treatment by patting the animal on the neck, rubbing his nose, and speaking kindly to him. He evidently understood this tone of kindness, for hardly two minutes had elapsed, before, on the word of command, and a farewell pat on the neck, he cantered off as gaily as possible with the lout on his back, and in the proper direction. Now here was a case of eccentric temper in an animal. One might almost fancy that it reasoned in the following manner-"As this fellow treats me in a becoming manner, and conducts himself like a gentleman, I don't mind if I go on; but if ever those three blackguards with the sticks should have made me stir one inch further, I'd be shot!" Sterne pleaded well in behalf of this useful, gentle, submissive, and might-be-made tractable animal, but alas! many years have rolled by, and the poor donkey still feasts on thistles, and not on maccaroons ! Various anecdotes might be mentioned of the eccentricity of dogs, and these might make an amusing chapter. My brother had a spaniel, which, on being affronted by being offered bread instead of meat, would trot off to me, a distance of seven or eight miles, and remain with me till her sulky fit was over, when she would return to her master. Cats, and many other animals, also, have their eccentricities. HEVER CASTLE, KENT. "I was your wife, Lordly Antonio, And in that balance, equall'd with yourself; I was your handmaid, and you might have trod On my humility,-I had kist your feet ;- All's lost by Lust. W. ROWLEY, 1633. 4to. It was a bright and beautiful summer morning that myself and friend, Mr. Mitford, my constant companion in my rural excursions, left the busy hum of London, Fumum et opes, strepitumque Romæ, for the secluded vallies of Kent, and its varied and beautiful scenery; and leaving the train at Edenbridge, walked through the fields to Hever Castle, the immediate object of our pleasant little journey. The first view of the castle is very striking as seen from the church-yard above it; and on approaching it, it more than confirms all |