----'Twas by a poor ass, who had just turned in with a couple of large panniers upon his back, to collect eleemosynary turnip-tops and cabbage-leaves; and stood dubious, with his two fore-feet on the inside of the threshold, and with his two hinder feet towards the street, as not knowing very well whether he was to go in or no.
Now, 'tis an animal (be in what hurry I may) I cannot bear to strike----there is a patient endurance of sufferings, wrote so unaffectedly in his looks and carriage, which pleads so mightily for him, that it always disarms me; and to that degree, that I do not like to speak unkindly to him: on the contrary, meet him where I will--whether in town or country--in cart or under panniers--whether in liberty or bondage ----I have ever something civil to say to him on my part; and as one word begets another (if he has as little to do as I) ----I generally fall into conversation with him; and surely never is my imagination so busy as in framing his responses from the etchings of his countenance--and where those carry me not deep enough----in flying from my own heart into his, and seeing what is natural for an ass to think--as well as a man, upon the occasion. In truth, it is the only creature of all the classes of beings below me, with whom I can do this: for parrots, jackdaws, &c. ----I never exchange a word with them----nor with the apes, &c., for pretty near the same reason; they act by rote, as the others speak by it, and equally make me silent: nay my dog and my cat, though I value them both----(and for my dog he would speak if he could)--yet somehow or other, they neither of them possess the talents for conversation ----I can make nothing of a discourse with them, beyond the _proposition_, the _reply_, and _rejoinder_, which terminated my father's and my mother's conversations, in his beds of justice----and those utter'd----there's an end of the dialogue----
--But with an ass, I can commune for ever.
Come, _Honesty!_ said I, ----seeing it was impracticable to pass betwixt him and the gate----art thou for coming in, or going out?
The ass twisted his head round to look up the street----
Well--replied I--we'll wait a minute for thy driver:
----He turned his head thoughtful about, and looked wistfully the opposite way----
I understand thee perfectly, answered I ----If thou takest a wrong step in this affair, he will cudgel thee to death ----Well! a minute is but a minute, and if it saves a fellow-creature a drubbing, it shall not be set down as ill spent.

-'Twas by a poor ass, who had just turned in with a couple of large panniers upon his back, for turnip-tops and cabbage-leaves; and stood dubious, with his two fore-feet on the inside of the threshold, and with his two hind feet on the street, not knowing whether he was to go in or no.
Now, I cannot bear to strike an ass - there is such a patient endurance of sufferings in his looks that it always disarms me; and I do not even like to speak unkindly to him. On the contrary, wherever I meet an ass, I have always something civil to say to him; and as one word begets another, I generally fall into conversation with him: imagining his responses from the expression on his face - or from looking into his heart, and seeing what is natural for an ass to think.
In truth, it is the only creature with whom I can do this: for parrots, jackdaws, &c. - I never exchange a word with them - nor with apes; for they act by rote, as parrots speak by it, and both make me silent. Even my dog and my cat, though I value them both (and my dog would speak if he could) - yet neither of them has the talents for conversation - I can make nothing of a discourse with them, beyond the proposition, the reply, and rejoinder, which ended my father's and mother's conversations in his beds of justice.
- But with an ass, I can commune for ever.
'Come, Honesty!' said I, seeing it was impossible to get past him - 'art thou coming in, or going out?'
The ass twisted his head round to look up the street.
'Well,' replied I, 'we'll wait a minute for thy driver.'
He turned his head and looked wistfully the opposite way.
'I understand thee perfectly,' answered I. 'If thou takest a wrong step, he will cudgel thee to death. - Well! a minute is but a minute, and if it saves a fellow-creature a beating, it is not ill spent.'
