Белая птичка
David and Porthos Compared
Mostoftheservantsinourstreethavehadtheloanofhimtobephotographedwith,andIhavebutnowseenhimstalkingoffforthatpurposewithaproudlittlehousemaidwhoislookinguptohimasifhewereawarriorforwhomshehadpaidashilling.
“Again,whenDavidandPorthosareintheirbath,praiseisduetotheoneandmustbewithheldfromtheother.ForDavid,asIhavenoticed,lovestosplashinhisbathandtoslipbackintoitfromthehandsthatwouldtransferhimtoatowel.ButPorthosstandsinhisbathdroopingabjectlylikeashamedfigurecutoutofsomelimpmaterial.
“Furthermore,theinventivenessofDavidisbeyondthatofPorthos,whocannotplaybyhimself,andknowsnotevenhowtotakeasolitarywalk,whileDavidinventsplayfullyalldaylong.Lastly,whenDavidisdiscoveredofsomeoffenceandexpressessorrowtherefor,hedoesthatthingnomoreforatime,butlooksabouthimforotheroffences,whereasPorthosincontinentlyrepeatshisoffence,inotherwords,heagainburieshisboneinthebackyard,andmarvelsgreatlythatIknowit,althoughhisnosebecrustedwithearth.
“Touchingthesematters,therefore,letitbegrantedthatDavidexcelsPorthos;andindiverssimilarqualitiestheoneisnomorethanamatchfortheother,asinthequalityofcuriosity;for,ifaparcelcomesintomychambersPorthosismiserableuntilitisopened,andIhavenoticedthesamethingofDavid.
“Alsothereisthetakingofmedicine.
