foresight we are indebted for the safe possession of this grotesque, good-tempered, and unique2 monster. The tank, by various ar rangements, they contrived to fill with fresh water every other day. A large quantity was taken on board in casks; a fresh supply at Malta; and, besides this, which was by no means enough, they made use of the condensed3 water of the engines, which amounted to upward of three hundred gallons per day.

6. As there are some hippopotami who enjoy the sea on certain coasts of the world, it is not improbable but our friend would soon have become used to sea-water; but Mr. Mitchell was determined to run no risks, prudently considering that, in the first place, the strength of the salt water, to one whose mother had been accustomed, and her ancestors for generations, to the mild streams of Nilus, might disagree with "young pickle;" and secondly, if he chanced to like it amazingly, how would he bear the change when he arrived at his mansion in the Regent's Park. Fresh water, therefore, was provided for his bath every other day throughout the voyage.

7. The British consul began to prepare for the departure of his noble guest at the end of April; and in the early part of May, the consul took an affectionate leave of him, and would have embraced him, but that the extraordinary girth of his body rendered such a demonstra'tion impossible.

8. During the voyage, "our fat friend" attached himself strongly to his attendant and interpreter, Hamet; indeed, the devotion to his person which this assiduous1 and thoughtful person had manifested from his first promotion to the office, had been of a kind to secure such a result from any one at all accessible to kindly affections. Hamet had commenced by sleeping side by side with his charge in the house at Cairo, and adopted the same arrangement for the night during the first week of the voyage to England.

9. Finding, however, as the weather grew warmer, and the hippopotamus bigger and bigger, that this was attended with some inconvenience, Hamet had a hammock slung from the

1Grotesque (gro těsk'), singular, or odd in shape.—2 Unique (yu něk), the only one of its kind; unequaled.- Con densed', made thick or close. Steam may be condensed into water by cold... As sid' u ous, constant; faithful.

beams immediately over the place where he used to sleep-in fact, just over his side of the bed-by which means he was raised two or three feet above his usual position. Into this hammock got Hamet, and having assured the hippopotamus, bōth by his voice, and by extending one arm over the side so as to touch him, that he was there as usual at his side, and "all was right," he presently fell asleep.

10. How long he slept, Hamet does not know, but he was awoke by the sensation of a jerk and a hoist, and found himself lying on the bed in his old place, close beside our fat friend. Hamet tried the experiment once more; but the same thing again occurred. No sooner was he asleep than the hippopotamus got up-raised his broad nose beneath the heaviest part of the hammock that swung lowest, and by an easy and adroit' toss, pitched Hamet clean out. After this, Hamet, acting on his rule of never thwarting his charge in any thing reasonable, abandoned the attempt of a separate bed, and took up his nightly quarters by his side as before.

11. As for the voyage, it was passed pleasantly enough by the most important of the illustrious strangers on board. Two cows and ten goats had been taken on board for his sole use and service; these, however, not being found sufficient for a "growing youth," the ship's cow was confiscated' for the use of his table; and this addition, together with we forget how many duzen sacks of Indian corn-meal, enabled him to reach our shores in excellent health and spirits.

12. A word as to the title of "river-horse," when taken in conjunction with his personal appearance, his habits, and his diet. The hippopotamus has nothing in common with the horse; he seems to us rather an aquatic1 pig, or a four-footed land-porpoise. In fact, he appears to partake of the wild-boar, the bull, and the porpoise-the latter predominating at present; but when he gets his tusks, we much fear there will be an alteration in his manners for the worse. As to his eventual size, the prospect is alarming. He is at present only seven months old, and he will continue growing till he is fifteen years of age.

'A droit', skillful.-Thwart' ing, opposing.- Con fis' cåt ed, taken away. A quåt' ic, belonging to the water.

AT

52. THE ROTHSCHILDS.

T the time of the French Revolution,' there lived at Frankfort-on-the-Maine, in Germany, a Jewish banker, of limited means, but good reputation, named Moses Rothschild. When the French army invaded Germany, the Prince of Hesse Cassel was obliged to fly from his dominions. As he passed through Frankfort, he requested Moses Rothschild to take charge of a large sum of money and some valuable jewels, which he feared might otherwise fall into the hands of the enemy.

2. The Jew would have declined so great a charge; but the prince was so much at a loss for the means of saving his property, that Moses at length consented. He declined, however, giving a receipt for it, as in such dangerous circumstances he could not be answerable for its being safely restored.

3. The money and jewels, to the value of several hundred thousand pounds, were conveyed to Frankfort; and just as the French entered the town, Mr. Rothschild had succeeded in burying the treasure in a corner of his garden. He made no attempt to conceal his own property, which amounted only to six thousand pounds. The French accordingly took this, without suspecting that he had any larger sum in his possession.

4. Had he, on the con'trary, pretended to have no money, they would have certainly searched, as they did in many other cases, and might have found and taken the whōle. When they left the town, Mr. Rothschild dug up the prince's money, and began to make use of a small portion of it. He now thrived in his business, and soon gained much wealth of his own.

5. A few years after, when peace came, the Prince of Hesse Cassel returned to his dominions. He was almost afraid to cali on the Frankfort banker, for he readily reflected that, if the French had not got the money and jewels, Moses might pretend they had, and thus keep all to himself.

6. To his great astonishment, Mr. Rothschild informed him

'Rev o lu' tion, change of government. The French revolution broke out in 1790.-2 Re ceipt', a paper acknowledging that money or any val uable property has been received; also, the act of receiving.

that the whole of the property was safe, and now ready to be returned, with five per cent.' interest on the money. The banker at the same time related by what means he had saved it, and apologized for breaking upon the money, by representing that, to save it, he had had to sacrifice all his own.

7. The prince was so impressed by the fidelity of Mr. Rothschild under his great trust, that he allowed the money to remain in his hands at a small rate of interest. To mark, also, his grat itude, he recommended the Jew to various Europe'an sovereigns as a money-lender. Moses was consequently employed in several great transactions for raising loans, by which he realized a vast profit.

8. In time he became immensely rich, and put his three sons into the same kind of business in the three chief capitals of Europe-London, Paris, and Vienna. All of them prospered. They became the wealthiest private men whom the world has ever known. He who lived in London, left at his death thirtyfive millions of dollars. The other two have been created bărons, and are perhaps not less wealthy. Thus a family, whose purse has maintained war and brought about peace, owes all its greatness to one act of honesty under trust.

2

ANON.

I

53. OPPOSITE EXAMPLES.

ASK the young man who is just forming his habits of life, or just beginning to indulge those habitual trains of thought, out of which habits grow, to look around him, and mark the examples whose fortune he would covet, or whose fate he would abhor. Even as we walk the streets, we meet with exhibitions of each extreme.4

2. Here, behold a patriarch, whose stock of vigor threescore

'Per cent., by the hundred; for every hundred.-2 Bår' ons, the lowest order of nobility.- Covet (kův' et), to desire earnestly; to long for.Ex trème,' the end; the last; each extreme, the first and the last. -PA' tri arch, the head or chief of a family.— Vig' or, strength.

years and ten' seem hardly to have impaired. His erect form, his firm step, his elastic limbs, and undimmed senses, are so many certificates of good conduct; or, rather, so many jewels and orders of nobility with which nature has honored him for his fidelity to her laws. His fair complexion shows that his blood has never been corrupted; his pure breath, that he has never yielded his digestive apparatus to abuse; his exact language and keen apprehension, that his brain has never been drugged or stupefied by the poisons of distiller or tobacconist.

3. Enjoying his appetites to the highest, he has preserved the power of enjoying them. As he drains the cup of life, there are no lees' at the bottom. His organs will reach the goal of existence together. Painlessly as a candle burns down in its socket, so will he expire; and a little imagination would convert him into another Enoch,' translated from earth to a better world without the sting of death.

4. But look at an opposite extreme, where an opposite history is recorded. What wreck so shocking to behold as the wreck of a dissolute man;-the vigor of life exhausted, and yet the first steps in an honorable career not taken; in himself a lazar-house of diseases; dead, but, by a heathenish custom of society, not buried! Rogues have had the initial letter of their title burnt into the palms of their hands; even for murder, Cain was only branded on the forehead; but over the whole person of the debauchee" or the inebriate, the signatures of infamy are

written.

5. How nature brands him with stigma" and opprobrium!" How she hangs labels all over him, to testify her disgust at his existence, and to admonish others to beware of his example! How

A score is twenty; threescore and ten is seventy.-"Im påired', injured; lessened.— Di gest' ive, causing the dissolving of food in the stomach.-Ap pa ra' tus, things provided as a means to some end.'Lees, dregs; that which settles at the bottom of any liquid.— Goal, the end, or point aimed at.-' E' noch, see Bible, Gen. chap. 5, v. 24.— Dis' so late, wicked; acting without principle; viciously dissipated.'La'zar-house, a hospital; a house for persons affected with unpleas ant and dangerous diseases. Initial (in îsh' al), the beginning or first. -"Debauchee (deb o she'), a rake; drunkard.--" Stig' ma, a mark of disgrace.Op prò' bri um, shame; disgrace.