the lad, in breathless hurry. "Catching Sparrows!" repeated the good Steward. "Philosophers, catching Sparrows! That is doing some good with their learning, indeed!-If they had begun this work sooner, the early corn in the South field would have been the better for it!"

As my mind has not yet been sufficiently contaminated by the practices of Christians, to take pleasure in beholding misery inflicted upon any part of the animated creation, I hastened from this cruel scene, and took refuge in my own apartment. After some time spent in meditating on the cruel dispositions of Europeans, and in performing poojah to the benignant Dewtah of our fathers-I descended, to pay my respects to Miss Ardent, whose voice I heard in the Hall. "How happy it is, that you have returned to night!" exclaimed she, on perceiving me. "You have come in time to assist at the most wonderful of all discoveries!

What will your friends in India think, when

you tell them, that sparrows may be changed into honey-bees?"

It is a subject on which none of my friends could possibly entertain a doubt, returned I; the transmigration of soul from body to body, is evidently necessary for its purification. It is the doctrine of the Vedas -and its authority is unquestionable. "But the change I speak of, has nothing to do with the doctrine of transmigration," rejoined Miss Ardent. "Our sparrows are still to continue good and real sparrows: it is only their instincts, that are to undergo a change, from the power of external circumstances. So young Sceptick declared this morning at breakfast, and my brother, whose imagination takes fire at every new idea, declared instantly, that the experiment should be made. It is true," continued Miss Ardent, "this theory is not confined to sparrows-The reasoning faculties, of which we poor two-legged animals are so proud-and the various instincts, which mark each tribe of the brute creation, all

equally originate in a combination of external circumstances. And, according to the arguments of the young philosopher, I see no reason, why, by a proper course of education, a monkey may not be a Minister of State, or a goose, Lord Chancellor of England."

Here a stop was put to our conversation, by the entrance of the gentlemen, each of whom was so full of his deeds of prowess, in the engagement with the sparrows, that he could talk of nothing else. One hundred sparrows, were already taken prisoners :but as this was only one third of the number declared necessary to form a bive, a reward was offered by the Baronet, for each live sparrow that should be brought to the Hall in the course of the succeeding day :a measure which was crowned with such success, that, before sun-set on the following evening, the number was declared complete.

Another tedious day elapsed, before the hut destined for their future residence, could

be finished; this was made exactly after the model of those of the domestick bees, which, in this country, are built of straw, made into small bundles, and bound together by the fibres of an aquatick plant. This hut, or hive, as it is called, bore the same proportion to its model, as the size of a sparrow does to that of a bee; it was furnished with cross sticks for the support of the combs, and that the sparrows might have no apology for not beginning immediately to work, great care was taken that no convenience usually afforded to the bees, should be wanting. After undergoing a careful examination by the philosophers, this huge sparrow-hive was placed upon a platform, that had been reared for its reception; and the sparrows having been brought in baskets to the spot, Sir Caprice Ardent, in presence of all the philosophers, with his own hand, pair by pair, deposited them in their new abode. The apparent satisfaction with which they entered their hive, gave such a convincing proof of the power of external

circumstances, as already rendered Sir Caprice a complete convert to the system. At the conclusion of the ceremony, he cordially shook hands with the young philosopher, and requesting the rest of the party would excuse him for the evening, he retired to his study, to begin a journal of these important proceedings, with which he intended to illuminate the world.

At the first indication of the dawn of morning, I went, as is my constant practice, to the river side, and after the performance of the accustomary poojah, and having bathed in the refreshing stream, I strolled into that part of the garden, where the honeymaking sparrows were placed.

It was at an hour when my meditations have here never been disturbed by the appearance of a fellow mortal. Judge then of my surprise, at beholding the Baronet, who, wrapped in his night-robes, stood at the side of the new erected hut, listening with eager ears, to catch the first sound that should emanate from its precincts-on perceiving