'Well, now, pray prove it to me. tain that you are not a Spider."

66

I main

But you know I am," said the Spider. "How should I?" asked the Volume. "I can't see you; and if I could, my eyes might be mistaken."

"But you can hear me."

"I have heard plenty about houses being built. I have heard men at work upon the houses. You see, I mustn't trust my hear ing. I mustn't trust anything but my sight, or believe anything I can't see.”"

"I assure you I am a Spider," said the other, very earnestly.

"So you say; but if I could see, I might find out that you were a slug or a fly.”

The Spider was so indignant at this insinuation, that words failed him.

"I'll tell you what," said the Volume. I'll believe, on your assertion, that you are a Spider, for you know more about that than I do; if you'll believe on my assertion, that men built these houses, for I know more about that than you do."

And the Spider was so afraid of being mistaken for a slug or a fly, that he yielded at once, and confessed himself convinced. Not that he really was so. He was too ignorant and conceited to understand anything about the matter-too ignorant and conceited to be convinced even of his own possession of those most unpleasant qualities, conceit and igno

rance.

"Very natural and reasonable. It is not pleasant to sit with ugly cats," said the Skye Terrier, winking again.

But this was too much; and Tabby took her departure with all possible speed into the coal hole, whence she did not emerge for some hours.

66

"There's an instance of jealousy for you," said the Skye Terrier, turning to the Spaniel. 'Why, I've seen the new cat myself, and she's a perfect beauty-for the kind of animal, you know,-white as snow, with long hair almost trailing on the ground. No wonder old Tabby felt cast into the shade. But she will do no good by sulking; and, however she may persuade herself that our new companion is just like other cats, she will certainly persuade no one else to believe it."

66

Why, all that you have been telling me." "Pray descend to particulars," said the .Volume. "What is it you don't believe?" "Why, I don't believe that men built this house, for example," said the Spider. "Don't you? Why not?"

"It's impossible," said the Spider. "But how do you know it to be impossible?" asked the Volume.

"Why, I am sure of it," persisted the Spider. "How could they? The house is a thousand times as big as a man."

I'll tell you what," said the Spider haugh

and I have eight. Which is likely to see the most ?"

"Which is the largest, one of a man's eyes, or your eight put together? asked the Volume. The Spider preferred not answering this question.

"All I can say is, that I don't believe a word of your assertions. Men build this house indeed! You are just trying to impose upon me."

"Not I! What should I want to do that for? You think too much of your own opinion, Mr. Spider. Do you know that I was old and learned long before you came into existence ?"

"Well; you haven't any eyes, said the Spider. "And I tell you, that the idea of men building this house is monstrous. Why, the fall of a single brick on a man's head would be sufficient to kill him; and yet you would have me believe that not this house alone, but all those piles of masonry that extend so far around, have been raised by men."

Just answer me one question," said the Volume. "If men didn't build the houses, who did?"

"Why, they came," said the Spider, not without hesitation. "Or rather—at least, they have always been where they are."

"Not at all. Fresh houses are constantly rising in every direction. You can't deny that."

May be not," said the Volume. "You and I have to believe many things that we can't see or prove."

"I never do; and I'll never ask you to do so," said the Spider, with decision.

"Won't you? Well, now, that is curious. But I suppose you'll maintain that you are a Spider ?"

"Of course I am, What do you take me for ?" asked the Spider.

"Certainly," said the Spider. "Well, now, pray prove it to me. tain that you are not a Spider."

I main

"But you know I am," said the Spider.

"How should I?" asked the Volume. "I can't see you; and if I could, my eyes might be mistaken."

"But you can hear me.”

"I have heard plenty about houses being built. I have heard men at work upon the houses. You see, I mustn't trust my hear ing. I mustn't trust anything but my sight, or believe anything I can't see."

"I assure you I am a Spider," said the other, very earnestly.

66

'So you say; but if I could see, I might find out that you were a slug or a fly."

The Spider was so indignant at this insinuation, that words failed him.

"I'll tell you what," said the Volume. I'll believe, on your assertion, that you are a Spider, for you know more about that than I do; if you'll believe on my assertion, that men built these houses, for I know more about that than you do."

And the Spider was so afraid of being mistaken for a slug or a fly, that he yielded at once, and confessed himself convinced. Not that he really was so. He was too ignorant and conceited to understand anything about the matter-too ignorant and conceited to be convinced even of his own possession of those most unpleasant qualities, conceit and igno

rance.

"Very natural and reasonable. It is not pleasant to sit with ugly cats," said the Skye Terrier, winking again.

But this was too much; and Tabby took her departure with all possible speed into the coal hole, whence she did not emerge for some hours.

66

"There's an instance of jealousy for you," said the Skye Terrier, turning to the Spaniel. 'Why, I've seen the new cat myself, and she's a perfect beauty-for the kind of animal, you know,-white as snow, with long hair almost trailing on the ground. No wonder old Tabby felt cast into the shade. But she will do no good by sulking; and, however she may persuade herself that our new companion is just like other cats, she will certainly persuade no one else to believe it."

"SEEING 'S BELIEVING."

HE fact is, I don't believe it," said the Spider loftily, as he crawled over the study-table.

"Don't believe what?" inquired a handsome calf-bound Volume.

"Why, all that you have been telling me." "Pray descend to particulars," said the .Volume. "What is it you don't believe ?

"Why, I don't believe that men built this house, for example," said the Spider. "Don't you? Why not?"

"It's impossible," said the Spider. "But how do you know it to be impossible?" asked the Volume.

"Why, I am sure of it," persisted the Spider. "How could they? The house is a thousand times as big as a man."

"That's no reason," said the Volume.

"Well, then, I don't believe it because I didn't see it done," said the Spider.

"That's still less of a reason," said the Volume.

"But I never believe anything I can't see," said the Spider.

I'll tell you what," said the Spider haugh

and I have eight. Which is likely to see the most?"

"Which is the largest, one of a man's eyes, or your eight put together?” asked the Volume. The Spider preferred not answering this question.

"All I can say is, that I don't believe a word of your assertions. Men build this house indeed! You are just trying to impose upon me."

"Not I! What should I want to do that for? You think too much of your own opinion, Mr. Spider. Do you know that I was old and learned long before you came into existence ?"

"Well; you haven't any eyes, said the Spider. "And I tell you, that the idea of men building this house is monstrous. Why, the fall of a single brick on a man's head would be sufficient to kill him; and yet you would have me believe that not this house alone, but all those piles of masonry that extend so far around, have been raised by men."

Just answer me one question," said the Volume. "If men didn't build the houses, who did ?"

'Why, they came," said the Spider, not without hesitation. "Or rather-at least, they have always been where they are."

"Not at all. Fresh houses are constantly rising in every direction. You can't deny that."

"Well; they came somehow, of course," said the Spider.

"And you think that a more simple and more probable explanation than that they were built by man!" said the Volume, curling his leaves with scorn.

"Man didn't build them," said the Spider. "You can't prove that he did."

May be not," said the Volume. "You and I have to believe many things that we can't see or prove."

"I never do; and I'll never ask you to do so," said the Spider, with decision.

"Won't you? Well, now, that is curious. But I suppose you'll maintain that you are a Spider ?"

"Of course I am, What do you take me for?" asked the Spider.

The Spider was so indignant at this insinuation, that words failed him.

"I'll tell you what," said the Volume. I'll believe, on your assertion, that you are a Spider, for you know more about that than I do; if you'll believe on my assertion, that men built these houses, for I know more about that than you do."

And the Spider was so afraid of being mistaken for a slug or a fly, that he yielded at once, and confessed himself convinced. Not that he really was so. He was too ignorant and conceited to understand anything about the matter-too ignorant and conceited to be convinced even of his own possession of those most unpleasant qualities, conceit and igno

rance.