A DOVE, that had a mate and young ones, happened to spy her cage-door open, was driven by a sudden impulse to fly out into an adjacent grove. There perched upon the bough of sycamore, she sat as it were wrapt in deep contemplation; not recovering from her reverie, until the owner drew nigh, unseen, and brought her back to her little family. "Art thou not ashamed then,' says her mate, "thus to desert thy helpless offspring? Art thou not base to abandon me for the company of birds to whom thou art a stranger? Could I have harboured such a thought? I, who have been ever constant to our first engagement, and must have died of mere despair, had thou not returned to my embraces? But how, alas! returned! Not, as it seems, by choice, but insnared by dint of artifice, and brought hither by constraint." "Have patience," replied the rambler,

"and hear the plea of thy repentant mate. Witness all ye powers of wedlock, ye that know what passes in the hearts of Doves, if ever, before this unhappy moment, I felt a wish to part from thee! the door, so seldom open, allowed but one moment for deliberation, and I happened to decide amiss. When removed to yonder wood, the air of liberty breathed so sweet, that, with horror I speak it, I felt a suspense about returning to the cage. Pardon, I pray thee, this one crime, and be well assured I will never repeat it. And that thou mayest be the more induced to pardon me, know, that the love of liberty burns ever the strongest in the bosoms that are most open to conjugal affection, and the love of their young."

REFLECTION.

The love of liberty, in well-constituted minds, holds a place little inferior to that of natural affection,

A HUNTSMAN was leading forth his Hounds one morning to the chase, and had linked several of the young dogs in couples, to prevent their following every scent, and hunting disorderly, as their own inclinations and fancy should direct them. Among others it was the fate of Jowler and Vixen to be thus yoked together. Jowler and Vixen were both young and inexperienced ; but had for some time been constant companions, and seemed to have entertained a great fondness for each other; they used to be perpetually playing together; and in any quarrel that happened, always took one another's part. It might have been expected, therefore, that it would not be disagreeable to them to be still more closely united. However, in fact, it proved otherwise ; they had not been long joined together before both parties were observed to express uneasiness at their

present situation. Different inclinations and opposite wills began to discover and to exert themselves. If one chose to go this way, the other was as eager to take the contrary; if one was pressing forward, the other was sure to lag behind; Vixen pulled back Jowler, and Jowler dragged along Vixen; Jowler growled at Vixen, and Vixen snapped at Jowler; till at last it came to a downright quarrel between them; and Jowler treated Vixen in a very rough and ungenerous manner, without any regard to the inferiority of her strength, or the tenderness of her sex. As they were thus continually vexing and tormenting each other, an old hound, who had observed all that had passed, came up to them, and thus reproved them: "What a couple of silly puppies you are, to be perpetually worrying yourselves at this rate! What hinders your going on peaceably and quietly together? Cannot you compromise the matter between you, by each consulting the other's inclination a little? When I was in the same circumstances with you, I soon found, that thwarting my companion was only tormenting myself; and my yoke-fellow happily came into the same way of thinking."

THE Peacock, who at first was distinguished only by a crest of feathers, preferred a petition to Juno that he might be honoured also with a train. As the bird was a particular favourite, Juno readily enough assented; and his train was ordered to surpass that of every fowl in the creation. The minion, conscious of his superb appearance, thought it requisite to assume a proportionable dignity of gait and manners. The common poultry of the farm-yard were quite astonished at his magnificence; and even the pheasants themselves beheld him with an eye of envy. But when he attempted to fly, he perceived himself to have sacrificed all his activity to ostentation; and that he was encumbered by the pomp in which he placed his glory.