Page:Monthly scrap book, for July.pdf/6

6 Of the beasts there is not room to say more, than that their number was surprising, considering that they formed a better selected collection, and showed in higher condition from cleanliness and good feeding, than any assemblage I ever saw. Their variety and beauty, with the usual accessory of monkeys, made a splendid picture. The birds were equally admirable, especially the pelicans, and the emew. This sixpenny "show" would have formed a dozen sixpenny "shows" at least, to a "Bartlemy Fair" twenty years ago.

" the want of a nail the shoe was lost," says Franklin, and we need not follow out his series of consequences in order to be convinced that little things have their value. Minor matters are seldom regarded by the many; the thinking few, however, regard them not the less on that account; for who knows not how often trivial causes have been productive of vast and unlooked for effects: The insolence of a tax-gatherer seated a fisher boy on the throne of Naples,—the cackling of geese awakened Rome to life and safety—and the beauty of Helen was the destruction of Troy.

"Dinna despise sma things" was one of the concluding advices of old Elspeth Winnigate to Edward Henryson, who had been arguing some matter in economy with her, as she stood in the door of her cottage and watched the departure of her nephew, "and dinna lippen to your lang legs to cross the burn when ye can get the stappin' stanes:"