A 
 
 SHORT HISTORY 
 
 fF 
 
 mm^^ i^mm MM 
 
 FOR THE 
 
 Amusement and Instruction 
 
 OF 
 
 CHXLDBEN. 
 
 • 
 
 ADORNED WITH CUTS, 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 PRINTED FOR HOULSTON AND SON 
 
 65, Paternoster-Rew; 
 AIND AT WELLINGTON, SALOP. 
 
 9 
 
 Price One Penny, 
 
FRONTISPIECK 
 
 THE LION, 
 
 The Lion, the King of all Beasts, 
 How famous for Courage is he I 
 
 And ypu, as the King of Good Boys, 
 Tp learn your Book diligent be. 
 
SHORT HISTORY 
 
 OF 
 
 BIRDS Sf BEASTS, 
 
 FOR THB 
 
 Amusement and Instruction 
 
 OF 
 
 CHILDREN. 
 
 Adorned with Cuts. 
 
 WELLINGTON : 
 
 Printed by F, Houlston and Son. 
 
 Price One Penny, 
 
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 XNXNX! 
 
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 THE COCK. 
 
 THE Cock doth crow to let you 
 know^ 
 If you be wise^ what time to lise. 
 
 There is no bird treated with so 
 much cruelty as the Cocky for he^ poor 
 
6 
 
 thing, (without the least offence^) is 
 tied to a stake^ and thrown at by a set of 
 idle, wicked/ barbarous fellows, till he 
 is beaten in pieces. This is a custom 
 ihe very heathens would blush at; and 
 therefore I hope you, who are a chris- 
 tian, will never be guilty Of any thing 
 so inhuman. 
 
1 
 
 THE PARROT. 
 
 THE Parrot prates he knows not 
 what. 
 For all he says is got by rote. 
 
 •the Parrot is a chattering bird, he 
 talks a great deal, yet knows not what 
 he says; and is therefore no^ unlike 
 some silly boys, who prate without 
 thinking, and learn their lesson with- 
 out looking at their book. 
 
8 
 
 THE GUCKOW. 
 
 i r jfiiwtfw'^'avif-' "■-'"'^1' -"j-^jy.- ' J---- 
 
 THE Cuckow tells a merry tale> 
 Upon the hill and in the vale. 
 
 There's the pretty Cuckozv ! This 
 good-natured bird comes a long journey 
 once every year to see all his friends, 
 and sing them a song. And after he 
 has obliged them with his company about 
 three months^ he takes his leave^ and 
 returns to his own country again. 
 
9 
 
 THE COW. 
 
 EARLY the milkmaid to the mea- 
 dow hies. 
 And the red Cow her empty pail sup- 
 plies. 
 
 This is the good-natured Cow to 
 which we are all so much obliged. She 
 comes, poor thing! in the morning, 
 and brings her udder full of n)Uk for 
 
 B. B. 
 
 oA 
 
10 
 
 our breakfast^ and the same at night 
 for our supper. To her we are in- 
 debted for our custards^ cheesecakes, 
 curds and cream, as well as for our 
 milk, butter, and cheese. 
 
11 
 
 THE NIGHTINGALE. 
 
 T 
 
 HE Nightingale doth sweetly sing^ 
 To welcome in the cheerful 
 spring. 
 
 What a pretty bird the Nightingale 
 is ! How sweetly she sings ! I could 
 wish 'twas summer all the year for the 
 sake of her good corppany. 
 
 A* 
 
12 
 
 THE LAMB. 
 
 THE little Lamh doth skip and 
 play. 
 Always merry, dways gay. 
 
 See the little Lamb ! how innocent 
 he looks ! he never did any harm, and 
 therefore is beloved by every body : but 
 the fox and the w'^olf, who are always in 
 mischief, are hated and despised. 
 
\3 
 
 THE LION. 
 
 THE Lion ranges round the wood. 
 And makes the lesser beasts his 
 
 food : 
 Thus tyrants on their subjects prey, 
 And rule witli arbitrary sway. 
 
 Though the Lion is such a strong 
 devouring creature^, yet Daniel was 
 thrown into a den among several of 
 
14 
 
 them, and received no harm. For he 
 was punished on account of his religion 
 and virtue, he prayed unto God, and the 
 Lord delivered him. 
 
15 
 
 THE WHALE* 
 
 THE IVhale's the monarch of the 
 main, 
 (As is the lion of the plain) : 
 He keeps the lesser fish in awe. 
 And, tyrant-like, his will's his law. 
 
 When the prophet Jonah attempted 
 to fly over sea from the presence of 
 the Lord there arose a great storm, and 
 
16 
 
 he being cast into the deep, was swal- 
 lowed by this great fish, in whose belly 
 he repented sincerely, and prayed unto 
 Godj wherefore the Lord commanded 
 the fish, and he swam to shore, and 
 cast him upon dry land. 
 
 I, 
 
 M^ gr^ I 
 
17 
 
 THE BUTTERFLY, 
 
 '^r^HE Butterfly in gaudy dress, 
 X The worthless coxcomb doth ex* 
 
 press. 
 Who not regarding whence he rose. 
 Is proud of what? — of his fine clothes. 
 
 This gaudy Butterfly owes its being 
 to a poor worm, and has nothing to boast 
 of but his fine wings, which perhaps will 
 
18 
 
 be lost the first frosty day: and then 
 his case will be much like the cox- 
 comb's^ who having lost his fine hat 
 and bag wig^ has nothing to support him 
 but a head full of emptiness* 
 
 %■ 
 
 w 
 
19 
 
 THE CROCODILE. 
 
 THE Crocodile, with watery eyes^, 
 O'er man and every creature cries. 
 Then feeds with pleasure on his pre/} 
 So hypocrites their friends betray. 
 
 This terrible creature is said to weep 
 over his prey before he devours it^ as if 
 he was unwilling to destroy any thing j 
 bi;t in truth^ that whining is only to 
 
20 
 
 bring other creatures to see what's ^he 
 matter, that Mr. Crocodile may get 
 another snap for his belly. 
 
21 
 
 THE ASS. 
 
 THE Jss, tho' mean, will by his bray 
 Oblige your horse to run away. 
 
 Though this animal makes such a 
 mean figure, yet Sampson, with the 
 jawbone of an Ass, slew a thousand 
 men. But then the Lord was with 
 him, and God Almighty can do any 
 thing. 
 
THE ANT. 
 
 nPHE little Ant no labour spares, 
 A Wisely preventing future caresi 
 For ere the hoary frost comes on. 
 Her stock's laid up, and business done. 
 
 This little creature was a great favou- 
 rite with the wise king /5o/o won, who 
 much admired her industry and care- 
 
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 23 
 
 fulness, and recommends her to the 
 consideration of every idle person. 
 ^ Arise thou sluggard^ go to the Jnt, 
 consider her ways^ and be wise.' 
 
 ►4*. 
 
 Houlstons, Printers. 
 
 Mlliilfifii5¥ 
 
BOOK: 
 
 PRINTED AND SOLD BY 
 
 F. HOULSTON 4- SON, 
 
 65y Paternoster-Row^ London ; 
 
 and at 
 WELLINGTON, SALOP. 
 
 The HISTORY of SIR RICHARD 
 WHITTINGTON and HIS CAT/ Price 
 id. 
 
 SCRIPTURE HISTORIES ; from the 
 
 Creation of the World to the Death of 
 Jesus Christ With a Description of St. 
 PauFs Cathedral, London. Price Id. 
 
 WILLIAM and GEORGE. The Rich 
 Boy and the Poor Boy ; or, A contented 
 Mind is the best Feast. Price Id. 
 
 The WILD.BE AST SHOW. Price Id. 
 
 NOTHING at ALL. Price Id. 
 
 The FAITHFUL DOG. A Tale. Price 
 Id. 
 
 GLEANINGS from NATURAL HIS- 
 TORY: for the Amusement and Instruc- 
 tion of Youth. Price Id;