1 8o3 . The Improved Breed of Shtep defended, i ^5. 



r'lous claffes, not ooJy of Cocd-hcnvers, Keclnicn, and Pitmen, 

 about NewcaiHc and c]fewliere,but f?vcrj Miner and Fabricator, 

 from Cornwall fouthward to Caitlinels northward; afet of men, 

 ivitiiout wliofe induflry the Epicureans would not be fo able to 

 indulge their nicer palates witli a ilieep bred upon the moun- 

 tains ! extremely ufeful in their way, but not at all calculated 

 for the ChamTiaign parts of Britain. Nor do I believe that I 

 liazrtrd too much, if 1 fay tirat a time will come wlicn the im- 

 proved breed will occupy all the lower hills in the iiland, as 

 well as the lowlands. 



I know it to be a fact, that many of the Cheviot Breeder!^ 

 are at prcfent crofTmg their fhccp with tups from thcfe ani- 

 mals, whofe Helli is only fit for the digeftive powers of a coaUhea- 

 z'cr ! and I am difpofed to think, that if Epicurus were to happen 

 to tafte lome of the mutton of thefe fheep, which have been pro- 

 duced from a crofs with the new Leicellers, without being- previ- 

 oully informed, he would not be able to difcover the contafnination. 



Epicurus mud permit me to fay, that the new Leiceifers are 

 verj'- far from being a coarfe grained breed : the old Lincolnfhire 

 breed is certainly fo, which may have led him wrong. But 

 I am firmly perfuaded, that the mutton of the New Leicellers 

 is equally as fine grained and Tnarhled^ as that of any mountain 

 fheep whatever. Obferve, 1 do not pretend to fay that this 

 mutton is fo fine flavoured, but I prefume, that the mountain 

 flieep are indebted to the kind of herbage which they are depaf- 

 tured on, and alfo to the age they are kept to^ for that particu- 

 larity. Befides, I neither know how the farmers in England would 

 be able to pay their much advanced rents at this time, nor how 

 the numerous clalVes of coal-heavers y miners, or manufaftu- 

 rers, &r.c. fpread through every part of Great Britain, would 

 be fiipplied and fupported with animal food, were it not 

 for this invaluable breed of fheep, for which this Ifland is fo 

 much indebted to the memorable Mr Bakewell : and I rejoice 

 to hear, that the manufafturers about Paifley and Glafgow, 

 "&:c. are now beginning to eat this odious mutton, with its oleagi?!- 

 or^r covering ! and I have no doubt, but the Al>crdeenfliire ma- 

 luif^icturers will learn by and bye to eat it ; becaufe, as the turnip 

 luifbandry fpreads northwards, which it necelTarily will do, thele 



ilicep will follow Epicurus muft fuffcr me to inform him, 



that it not only is the mofl nutritive to thefe laborious clafi- 

 es 6f people, but much cheaper than any other animal food what- 

 ever ; and for this obvious reafon, that no other animal food, {if 

 we exceptbacon) alTords fo much flefh in proportion to the quan- 

 tity of bone. And I hope to gratify Epicurus, by informing him, 

 that the fat is frequently cut off from the furface of thefe ani- 



. ^Ltls, 



