assert that nature has placed an immoveable boundary between the quadruped and winged creations. There behold a sufficient encouragement, to urge your indefatigable search for mermaids, centaurs, harpies, and all those monstrous objects which yield such inexpressible delight to the inquisitive philosophic mind." --- While he was making this harangue, the company approached the gilded cage, that contained this prodigy of nature, and stooping down to contemplate him, were surprised to find one of his horns fallen off, and the other moved considerably from the situation in which it had been described to them: for doleful to relate! the cock, which was of the right game breed, had unfortunately taken offence at the visage of the owl his neighbour, and in his struggles to come at him through the bars of the cage, had rubbed off one of his horns, and displaced the other. When this deplorable misfortune was mentioned to the owner, it is impossible to describe his astonishment and confusion. He stooped hastily to be satisfied of the truth of it, and beholding the irreparable ruin, gave a dismal groan, and fell at length on the floor in a swoon. While his servants were bringing him to himself, one of the philosophers opened the cage, and taking out the bird, they all entered into a discussion of so strange a phenomenon. After many learned and ingenious solutions, one of them declared, that it had always been his opinion, in which the present case fully confirmed him, that all cornuted animals cast their horns every year, like the stag, and that the present case was no more than that; of which he was perfectly convinced, as he could plainly feel with his finger, the growing horn, which had thus thrust off the old one; so that, my lord, (said he, addressing himself to the owner, who by this time was recovered, and attending to their remarks),,, instead of being vexed at such an have you every reason to rejoice, as it explains a very difficult point, and you will now have an oppor,,tunity of tracing the growth of this beautiful prodigy." event, This sage solution administered some consolation to the Virtuoso, who immediately took the bird in his own hands, and feeling the lump of wax which had fastened on the fictitious horn, was convinced of the truth of his friend's observation, which he himself farther confirmed, by taking notice that as no blood followed the avulsion, it was evident the horn was of itself ready to fall off, without the assistance of the cock's struggling, (for they had caught him at that work) as the dislocation of the other horn shewed that it was not in the same state of ripeness, and therefore it had resisted that force. Consciousness of the sagacity of this remark, in some degree restored his spirits, and he was going to proceed, when one of the company who had taken up and examined the fallen horn, and had not given any opinion on the matter, interrupted him drily, and said, the hypothesis was certainly very ingenious, but he believed the affair might be solved a readier way; for upon examination of the supposed horn, he found it was only a cock's spur, which had been fastened on the creature's head with wax, as appeared evidently by the remains of the wax upon the end of the spur; and if they would let him pull off the other, he would undertake that the imposture would be too plain to admit of any doubt. The mention of this threw them all into confusion as they had all given their opinions positively, of the honour of which it deprived them, and cut short many more which they were ready to offer: they therefore stood looking at each other, till he stretched out his hand to pull off the other horn, when they all interposed, particularly the owner, and insisted, that they must be better satisfied of what he had advanced, before they could permit so rash an experiment. But the bird himself cut short the dispute; for some of the company happening to have snuff in their fingers, it got into the cock's eyes, and made him shake his head with such violence, that off flew the horn in the owner's face. The person who had made the discovery immediately took it up, and shewed such plain proof of the trick, that it could no longer be denied. It is impossible to describe the shame and vexation in every philosophic face, at this lamentable event. The abused purchaser, in particular was almost mad: however, after mature deliberation, it was agreed upon, for the credit of philosophy, to bear the deceit in silence, rather than expose themselves to the ridicule of the unlearned, by seeking satisfaction from the cheat. As for the cock, he was immediately killed, in order to remove such an evidence of their disgrace. But all their caution was in vain. The person who had first detected the deceit, could not deny his vanity the pleasure of making his sagacity known; and the fellow who had sold the bird to the noble Virtuoso, finding his trick passed over with impunity, could not avoid boasting of it; and to this day diverts his customers with the history of THE HORNED COCK. A PRAYER FOR MARY. BY BURNS. Powers celestial! whose protection Draw your choicest influence down! Make the gales, you waft around her, When in distant lands I roam; To realms unknown while fate exiles me, Make her bosom still my home! THE LEGEND OF THE BROKEN 99 You all know, that the land of Almaine is a wild and strange country, wherein are vast black forests, with great store of fierce bears; and in this country stands the great and fair city of Nuremburg, where there are many fair churches, but there is one little, yet goodly old building, more fair than all the others. It stands as I remember though perchance it may be ruined now, in the Reichs-strasse and it had a high tower without any window, but from the top, a broad rent wide enough for a man to pass through, ran downwards to the belfry. This rent though it had often been walled up, always brake out again as it was before, for men said that there was a holy spell laid under the turret which never might be done away; and so as it might not be amended it was e'en left decayed, by reason of which the church was called St. Agnes of the Broken Tower, for it was built to the honour of that holy Virgin. And touching this rent, this tale was told throughout the realm and especially in the great city of Nuremburg. Of old time the Küster or Sexton lived in the steeple along with his only daughter Lottchen, who fell in love with Ruprecht, one of the Emperor's soldiers. At that time, the Almaine forests were full of robbers and fiends, and another of the Emperor's guards joined himself to them and became quite a terror to the country; for by the prowess of himself and his band he feared no force, and through his magic craft he cared |