| (CHARACTERS. 
His wext step was to select and pur- 
chase the best of all the sorts. where. 
ever they could be found; and this 
_ selection, the result of several years 
experience, was the original stock 
from ‘which he afterwards propa- 
gated his own. This excellent 
ground-work was alone fostered to 
its present unrivalled perfection by 
the persevering industry of Mr, 
Bakewell. Like the immortal 
Newton, what his genius had cons 
ceived, he happily »possessed the 
patientindustry toexecute. About 
1760, Mr. Bakewell sold his sheep, 
by private contract, at not more 
than two or three guineas’ each. 
Some time afterwards, he began to 
let out some of his rams, and for a 
few seasons received only 15s. and a 
guinea a piece for them ; but, as the 
fame of his breed extended itself, he 
advanced his prices, and, by the 
year 1770, was enabled to let some 
of his rams for the season for 25 
guineas, Since that time, the 
ptices and credit of his stock have 
been progressively increasing ; and, 
_of late years, single rams have been 
- let for the season, for the enormous 
sum of 400 guineas and upwards. 
Yt isa fact, which has no former ex- 
ample, that one ram, called “ The 
‘Two-Pounder,” produced in one 
season, the sum of 800 guineas, ins 
dependent of ewes of Mr. Bake. 
well’s own stock, which, at the same 
vate, would have made a total, the 
produce of asingle ram, of 1200 
guineas! Every branch of the 
Agricultural Art is more or less in- 
debted to the fortunate genius and 
original mind of Mr, Bakewell. 
Ile directed his attention, however, 
the most successfully, to the im- 
provement of the sheep known by 
the name of ‘* The Dishley,” or, 
“NewLeicestershire,” tolong-horned 
[*57 
cattle; and to strong horses of the 
black breed, suitable for the harness 
and the army. The improvement 
of pigs, and the cultivation of the 
best winter. food for cattle, had 
latterly engaged his attention; and 
he had proved himself useful to the 
public by introducing into practice 
the flooding of meadows. | The race 
of Dishley sheep are known by the 
fineness of their bones and flesh, the 
lightness of the offal, the disposition 
to quietness, and, consequently, to 
mature and fatten with less food 
than other sheep of equal weight 
and value. Mr. Bakewell \im- 
proved his black harses by an. at- 
tention to the: form which is. best 
adapted to their use. His stallions 
have been let for the season for 100 
guineas and upwards. About ten 
years since, he exhibited his famous 
black horse to the king and many of * 
the nobility in the court-yard at St 
James’s. Hislong-horned cattle have 
been characterised by properties 
similar to those of his sheep, for the 
fineness of the bone and flesh, the 
lightness of the offal, and the dispo- 
sition to fatten. In a word, no 
competitor ever had the temerity to 
vie with him in his horses and cate 
tle; and his sheep continue as uni- 
versally unrivalled, notwithstanding 
the competitions excited at various 
times by motives of interest or en- 
vy- In this place it may be worth 
while to insert the following state- 
ment of. the prices given at two 
leading auctions of stock, bred from 
Mr. Bakewell’s. These great prices, 
as well as the prices which these 
articles always maintain, are the 
most indubitable proofs of the high 
opinion which the best and most in- 
terested judges entertain of Mr. 
Bakewell’s merit. The first sale 
which we advert to was that of Mr, 
Fowler, 
