254 dog's attachment to his master. 



Red Lion Street, Holbom, and laid itself down on 

 the steps, having been ten hours on its journey from 

 St. Paul's to that place. The dog was so much alter- 

 ed, the eyes being so sunk in the head as to be scarce- 

 ly discernible, that the master would not at first en- 

 courage his old faithful companion, who, when lost, 

 was supposed to weigh 20lbs. and now only weighed 

 3lbs. 14oz. The first indication it gave of knowing 

 its master, was by wagging the tail when he mention- 

 ed the name of Phillis. For a long time it was unable 

 to eat or drink, and it was kept alive by the suste- 

 nance it received from its mistress, who used to feed it 

 with a tea-spoon, and by her care recovered it."* 



The length of time this poor creature must have 

 subsisted without food is surprising; and the efforts 

 it made in such an emaciated condition to reach its 

 master's house, that it might die at his feet, is a 

 striking instance of that unshaken attachment that the 

 canine race show for their protectors. The friendship 

 of a dog for his master is seldom equalled by that of 

 one man for another. How many friends shrink fi'om 

 their professions in the hour of danger, poverty, and 

 disgrace ! — but when his services are the most wanted, 

 the faithful dog never flinches from his duty, and nu- 

 merous are the examples of their sacrificing their own 

 lives in the defence of those to whom they are attached. 



* Daniel's Rural Sports, vol. i. p. 28. 



