60 THE AMERICAN BOOK OF THE DOG. 



accurately and fully set forth as to the origin of the breed 

 and the development of the color: 



"BOSTEL HOUSE, ROCHESTER, England. 

 " To B. F. SEITOER, Dayton, Ohio, U. S. A. 



"Dear Sir: In reply to your request for some notes as to 

 the origin and development of the Irish Setter, I do not 

 find anything like reliable information on this subject 

 earlier than the present century. I have no hesitation in 

 stating my belief that the Irish Setter is the oldest breed 

 we possess, as well as the purest; but if, as is generally 

 allowed, the history of all Setters be obscure and difficult 

 to trace, how much more so the history of the Irish ! The 

 reasons are obvious; but I will not enter into this ques- 

 tion, and will only say that after careful and diligent study 

 of the subject, I feel compelled to give my adhesion to the 

 now generally received opinion, that all Setters are descend- 

 ants from the Spaniel. We have it recorded in the Sports- 

 man's Repository, 1820, that Setters in Ireland used to be 

 called ' Setting Spaniels.' Now, it is difficult to explain 

 how our modern Setters were produced. I believe, with 

 Darwin, in Nature giving us successive variations, and man 

 adding up these variations in a certain direction useful to 

 himself, and thus making for himself useful breeds. If, 

 then, we want a special quality in any animal, we have 

 only to watch carefully and breed sufficiently, and the re- 

 quired variety is sure to be produced, and can be increased 

 to any extent. Wallace says: ' Instinct, speed, form, and 

 color have always varied so as to produce the very races 

 which the wants or fancies of men led them to desire.' 



" In a word, he looks upon natural or artificial selection 

 as the simple basis for indefinite modification of the forms 

 of life. With the opinions of two such authorities before 

 us, as well as our own experience of what can and what 

 has been done in the way of breeding, I do not think there 

 need be much doubt as to the origin of the Setter. The 

 Irish have always been a sporting race, and no doubt they 

 paid great attention to their Setting Spaniels. Being 



