THE DOG. 79 



disposition, render the dog, in its savage state, a formidable enemy 

 to all other animals ; but these readily give way to very different 

 qualities in the domestic dog, whose only ambition seems the de- 

 sire to please. He is seen to come crouching along, to lay his 

 force, his courage, and all his useful talents, at the feet of his mas- 

 ter; he waits his orders, to which he pays implicit obedience; he 

 consults his looks, and a single glance is sufficient to put him in 

 motion ; he is more faithful even than the most boasted among 

 men ; he is constant in his affections, friendly without interest, and 

 grateful for the slightest favors ; much more mindful of benefits re- 

 ceived than injuries offered ; he is not driven off by unkindness, 

 but still continues humble, submissive, and imploring; his only 

 hope, to be serviceable his only terror, to displease ; he licks 

 the hand that has been just lifted to strike him, and at last disarms 

 resentment by submissive perseverance. More docile than man, 

 more obedient than any other animal, he is not only instructed in a 

 short time, but he also conforms to the dispositions and the manners 

 of those who command him. He takes his tone from the house he 

 inhabits ; like the rest of the domestics, he is disdainful among the 

 great, and churlish among clowns. Always assiduous in serving 

 his master, and only a friend to his friends, he is indifferent to all the 

 rest, and declares himself openly against such as seem to be depen- 

 dent like himself. When at night, the guard of the house is com- 

 mitted to his care, he seems proud of the charge ; he continues a 

 watchful sentinel, he goes his rounds, scents strangers at a dis- 

 tance, and gives them warning of his being upon duty. If they at- 

 tempt to break in upon his territories, he becomes more fierce, flies 

 at them, threatens, fights, and either conquers alone, or alarms 

 those who have most interest in coming to his assistance ; however, 

 when he has conquered, he quietly reposes upon the spoil, and ab-, 

 stains from what he has deterred others from abusing ; giving thus 

 at once a lesson of courage, temperance, and fidelity. 



It may seem strange, at first sight, that an animal possessing so 

 many excellent qualities should almost uniformly be spoken of in 

 scripture in such terms as indicate it to have been held in great con- 

 tempt among the Jewish people. But for this there may have been 

 more than one reason. In the first place, its vicious dispositions 

 and habits are almost as numerous and important as the valuable 

 qualities which we have noticed. Its insatiable voracity has be- 

 come proverbial ; and its wrathful and truculent disposition is such, 

 that it not unfrequently attacks and maims a stranger without the 

 slightest provocation. No animal, says Scaliger, is more unsocial ; 

 for in the largest buildings two of them can scarcely live peaceably 

 together ; Mid so great is its selfishness, that it desires to possess 

 everything itself, and never submits to share its booty with others 

 but by force. Its shameless impudence is well known ; it is strong- 

 ly alluded to in 2 Sam. iii. 7, 8, as well as in several other places, 

 But it is probable that the circumstance which caused the dog to be 

 branded with a mark of infamy under the Mosaic law, and to be 



