i>56 Letter from Dr. Thornton 



in pairs, either at the breast (mammce pectorales), or on the 

 belly (abdominals) , or between the hind feet (inguinales) . 

 In general, their number is equal to the number of young 

 which are commonly brought forth at a time.' 3 Your re- 

 viewer even, though bred a cockney, in some of the envi- 

 rons of London might have observed the fact. The first pig 

 bom is the largest, and assumes the foremost rank in suck- 

 ing; the last pig born is the least, and has a particular name, 

 and takes the rear. Every pig, therefore, demands and rights 

 for his own dug; and when any one pig is killed for a roaster, 

 that very dug then dries up, and only so many swollen dugs 

 furnishing milk remain as there are living pigs. How sight- 

 less it would have appeared had the beautiful human form 

 been, like the figure of Isis, furnished, like the mother sow, 

 with breasts down the whole body ! The word dug means 

 the breast of a beast, and when applied to the woman it is 

 in derision, and to excite disgust. Thus Spenser : 



Of her there bred 



A thousand young ones, which she daily fed 3 

 Sucking upon her poisonous dugs -, each one 

 Of sundry shape, yet all ill favoured. 



So Cowley : 



Envy at last crawls forth from that dire throng, 

 Of all the direfull'st; her black locks hung long, 

 Attir'd with curling serpents ; her pale skin 

 Was almost dropp'd from the sharp bones within ; 

 And at her dugs stuck vipers, which did prey 

 Upon her panting heart both night and day, 

 Sucking black blood from thence, which to repair, 

 Both night and day they left fresh poison there ; 

 Her garments were deep stain'd in human gore, 

 And torn by her own kinds, in which she bore 

 A knotted whip and bowl, that to the brim 

 Did with green gall and juice of wormwood swim ; 

 With which when she was drunk she furious grew, 

 And lash'd herself. Thus from the accursed crew, 

 Envy, the worst of fiends, herself presents ; 

 Envy *, good only when she herself torments. 



* The Rev. Dr. Milne, author of the Botanical Dictionary, writing' 

 tome on this controversy, says: *« Dr.* Thornton will console himself on 

 ! other such invidious occurrences, which men of talent must ex- 

 pect to encounter from the conjoined efforts of ignorance, malevolence, 

 and a nairow mind, with the fine observation of the poet : 

 " Envy does merit as its shade pursue, 

 "*liut, like the shadow, proves the substance true." Pope. 



Now, 



