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INTRODUCTION, XXKIX 
and which was really heard without regret, or difpofition to 
blame, for his great caution, the honeft perfeverinz farme~, 
We mutt hazard, before we leave him, an opinion, that 
though -he may poflibly gain lefs than fome of his neigh- 
bours for a few years, heis, if no fluggard, one of the moft 
ufeful.men of the diftri&t. He keeps up a ftandard by 
which many others may prove the value of their experiments, 
and without whofe cautien and fteadinefs more doubtful 
conclufions may be drawn; while the J/atene/s of his con- 
viction, if a little wrong in itfelf with regard to him, may 
operate at laft the more powerfully in his favour, or that 
of his fucceffor on the fame fpot. Let no man, therefore, 
fneer at or triumph over him, on account of his own early 
fuccefs; but rather refpect him for his aid, in, the moft cer- 
tain eftablifhment of important facts. : 
Thefe refleions will not be confidered as fuggefting an 
idea, that the growing opinion of general advantage from a 
wider introduction of the South-Down breed of fheep is 
erroneous; on the contrary, we need not doubt but that 
the growing alteration is defenfible, and will be found an 
improvement to a very confiderable extent. 
Time and obfervation will fhew how far di/riZ and local 
circumftances will affect the continuance of thofe characterif- 
tics, which are now fuppofed to belong to the race of 
animals in queftion. ‘The natural bounds (if there be fuch) 
of prefervation as to /hape, /ize, and wool, may ever be diffi- 
cult to afcertain—and long ftages of obfervation may elapfe, 
from the prefent degree of knowledge, before the idea, now 
fpeculative, may become verified, whether any fuppoled 
peculiar race of fheep, or other ufeful animals, will, or will 
not, materially change by continued propaga’ion in a new 
fituation?—If the fact be, that original differences were 
naturally produced by peculiarities of various diftricts, it 
will, 
