TILE BULLIES. | 47

came to a farm-yard, through which their road lay.
A large mastiff was lying down in it, at his ease in the
sun. Francis was almost afraid to pass him, and kept
_ as close to his tutor as possible.. However, the dog -
took not the least notice of them. ,

Presently they came upon a common, where, going
near a flock of geese, they were assailed with hissings,
and pursued some way by these foolish birds, which,
stretching out their long necks, made a very ridi-
culous figure.. Francis only laughed at them, though
he was tempted to give the foremost a switch across
his neck. A little further, was a herd of cows, with a
bull among them, upon which Francis looked with
some degree of apprehension; but they kept quietly
grazing, and did not take their heads from the ground
as he passed. )

“Tt is a lucky thing,” said Francis to his tutor,
“that mastiffs and bulls are not so quarrelsome as _
curs and geese; but what can be the reason of it ?”

“The reason,” replied his tutor, “is, that paltry
and contemptible animals, possessing no confidence in
their own strength and courage, and knowing them-
_ selves hable to injury from most of those that come |
in their way, think it safest to act the part of bullies, -
and to make a show of attacking those of whom in
reality they are afraid. Whereas animals which are
conscious of force sufficient for their own protection,
suspecting no evil designs from others, entertain none
themselves, but maintain a dignified composure.

“Thus you will find 1} among mankind. Weak,
mean, petty characters are suspicious, snarling,
and petulant. ‘They raise an outcry against their
superiors in talents and reputation, of whom they
stand in awe, and put on airs of defiance and inso-
Jence through mere cowardice. But the truly great
are calm and inoffensive. They fear no injury, and
offer none. - They even suffer slight attacks to po ~
unnoticed, conscious of their power to right them-
selves whenever the occasion shall seem to requireit.”’