'Once, indeed, (said he,) I was disobedient; I refused to attend my
father to Uttoxeter-market. Pride was the source of that refusal, and
the remembrance of it was painful. A few years ago, I desired to atone
for this fault; I went to Uttoxeter in very bad weather, and stood for a
considerable time bareheaded in the rain, on the spot where my father's
stall used to stand. In contrition I stood, and I hope the penance was
expiatory[1151].'
'I told him (says Miss Seward) in one of my latest visits to him, of a
wonderful learned pig, which I had seen at Nottingham; and which did all
that we have observed exhibited by dogs and horses. The subject amused
him. 'Then, (said he,) the pigs are a race unjustly calumniated. _Pig_
has, it seems, not been wanting to _man_, but _man_ to _pig_. We do not
allow _time_ for his education, we kill him at a year old.' Mr. Henry
White, who was present, observed that if this instance had happened in
or before Pope's time, he would not have been justified in instancing
the swine as the lowest degree of groveling instinct[1152]. Dr. Johnson
seemed pleased with the observation, while the person who made it
proceeded to remark, that great torture must have been employed, ere the
indocility of the animal could have been subdued.
Pages:
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485