54 Notes and Sketches. 



can be employed as the food of man be not on any 

 occasion applied to other uses, or lost through neglect 

 or inattention." And in the way of practical enforce- 

 ment, it is argued that " with this view, all dogs, unless 

 those of great use and value, should be instantly put to 

 death. At a time like the present, when the whole 

 produce of the country is not sufficient to sustain the 

 life of the inhabitants themselves, it must," says the 

 minute, " be deemed a heinous crime to suffer any part 

 of that food to be consumed by vile animals. Those 

 who must have useful dogs, and those of higher rank 

 who can afford to keep dogs of value, ought to procure 

 from abroad as much grain at least as would serve to 

 sustain them till a new crop can be brought to market. 

 Persons in lower circumstances who, regardless of the 

 duties they owe to themselves and society, persist in 

 keeping these animals, should be accounted enemies of 

 mankind. They cannot in justice lay claim to the 

 sympathising benevolence of their fellow-creatures, and 

 their dogs ought to be destroyed by order of the civil 

 magistrates and Justices of the Peace." 



For the like reasons it was thought right that no 

 corn that could be converted into meal should be given 

 to horses. " Good hay and straw, with whins, where 

 these can be had, will sustain, during the winter season, 

 horses which are moderately worked. And in regard 

 to chaise horses, which at present too much abound, it 

 is believed the necessity of the times will greatly 

 diminish their employment ; and it is hoped that those 

 who, through disease or otherwise, are under the 

 necessity of employing them, will permit them to be so 

 gently driven as not to hurt them, though greatly 

 stinted in their usual allowance of corn." It was 

 strongly urged that people should refuse to sell for 

 horse corn what was fit to be made into oatmeal. Inn- 

 keepers might get a supply from abroad ; and it 

 behoved them to devise the means of so obtaining it. 



One of the numerous " resolves," and which bears on 



