As a Caterpillar was advancing very slowly along one of the alleys of a beautiful garden, he was met by a pert lively Ant, who tossing up her head with a scornful air, cried, "Prithee get out of the way, thou poor creeping animal, and do not presume to obstruct the paths of thy superiors, by wriggling along the road, and besmearing the walks appropriated to their footsteps. Poor creature! thou lookest like a thing half made, which nature not liking threw by unfinished. I could almost pity thee, methinks; but it is beneath one of my quality to talk to such mean creatures as thou art: and so, poor crawling wretch, adieu!" The humble Caterpillar struck dumb with this disdainful language, retired, went to work, wound himself up in a silken cell, and at the appointed time came out a. beautiful Butterfly. Just as he was sallying forth, he

observed the scornful Ant pasing by. "Proud insect," said he, "stop a moment, and learn from the circumstances in which you now see me, never to despise any one for that condition, in which Providence has thought fit to place him; as there is none so mean, but may one day, either in this state or in a better, be exalted above those who looked down upon him with unmerited contempt."

REFLECTION.

Boys of no very promising appearance often become the greatest men.

As two Lizards were basking under a south wall, "How contemptible," said one of them, "is our condition! We exist, 'tis true, but that is all: for we hold no sort of rank in the creation, and are utterly unnoticed by the world. Cursed obscurity! Why was I not rather born a Stag, to range at large, the pride and glory of some royal forest?" It happened, that, in the midst of these unjust murmurs, a pack of hounds was heard in full cry after the very creature he was envying, who being quite spent with the chase, was torn in pieces by the dogs in sight of the two Lizards. "And is this the lordly Stag, whose place in the creation you wish to hold?" said the wiser Lizard to his complaining friend: "Let his sad fate teach you to bless Providence for placing you in that

humble situation, which secures you from the dangers of a more elevated rank."

REFLECTION.

The superior safety of an obscure and humble station, is a balance for the honours of high and envied life.

JUPITER, in order to please mankind, directed Mercury to give notice that he had established a Lottery, in which there were no blanks; and that amongst a variety of other valuable chances, Wisdom was the highest prize. It was Jupiter's command, that in this Lottery some of the Gods should also become adventurers. The tickets being disposed of, and the wheels placed, Mercury was employed to preside at the drawing. It happened, that the best prize fell to Minerva: upon which a general murmur ran through the assembly, and hints were thrown out that Jupiter had used some unfair practices to secure this desirable lot to his daughter. Jupiter, that he might at once both punish and silence these impious clamours of the human race, presented them with Folly in the place of Wisdom; with which they went