166 CRITICAL NOTICES OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. 



thereon, as an accommodation to the inhabitants of the contiguous 

 towns. These lands were parcelled out in grants of about half an 

 acre each, properly drained and fenced ; and in Worcestershire, 

 very near to the county town, there are now villas, cottages, and 

 cultivated gardens, where all was before unprofitable and unsightly 

 waste. We are aware that many eminent agriculturists designate 

 Sir John Sebright as a mere theoretical man — a schemer — a vision- 

 ary — one whose Utopian dreams are in a moment blown down by 

 the breath of reality. Would that all great landed proprietors 

 revelled in such propensities and enjoyed such dreams ! What is 

 the mere tiller of the land ? — A drone of the last century. He only 

 is worthy of praise, as a land-holder, who devotes his talents and 

 his fortune in converting the barren wilderness into productive 

 land — who drains the swampy meadows — who irrigates the arid 

 soil — who plants the graceful and the useful timber — who sows his 

 fields with that seed which his experience teaches him is most produc- 

 tive and best suited to the capabilities of his ground — who improves 

 the breed of cattle by the crosses of all varieties — who decides on the 

 breed adapted to the best purposes of man by his own experience — 

 — whose ardour is not cooled by occasional failures — who reflects 

 deeply and decides vigorously — who lives not for himself only, but for 

 the advantage of others — who gives the benefit of his great know- 

 ledge, acquired by long experience, to the world at large, by pub- 

 lishing the results, whether of success or failure, either in the culti- 

 vation of his land or the rearing of his stock. The agriculturist 

 who thus acts, renders himself indeed useful, and is a blessing to 

 the country in which he resides. In such a class ranks Sir John 

 Sebright. 



We will now select a few extracts from the pamphlet, the con- 

 sideration of which has led us to the comments we have thus made ; 

 and although it does not treat of cattle, it will be found instructive 

 as regards the instincts of animals in general, with some conclusions 

 which are, we think, based on reason and probability. This being 

 the sporting season, we have taken the following observations on 

 the domestic dog : 



" Perhaps the strongest proot that what is commonly called instinct in 

 animals is not implanted in them by nature is, that very different propensi- 

 ties are found in the various breeds of domestic dogs, and that they are al- 

 ways such as are particularly suited to the purposes to which each of these 

 breeds has long been, and is still, applied. 



" The performances of the shepherd's dog, which would seem to be the re- 

 sult of little less than human intelligence, are much too artificial, and too 

 much in opposition to the nature of the animal, to be attributed to instinct ; 

 and yet the young dogs of this breed appear to have a propensity to the per- 

 formance of these services, or, as the shepherds say, a thorough-bred one will 

 take to them naturally. 



11 1 do not believe that the same things could be taught to dogs of other 

 breeds, such as the hound, the greyhound, or the pointer, by the most skil- 

 ful training. 



" The true pointer will often stand at game the very first time that he 

 finds it. The hound will follow his game by the scent with a degree of stea- 



