ON BREEDING AND REARING ANIMALS. 55 



purpose; and although Mr. Robinson appears 

 more inclined to taunt than to praise Bakewell, 

 he furnishes practical demonstration of the cor- 

 rectness of Bakewell's principles. By Mr. Ro- 

 binson's own admission, Bakewell was in every 

 respect equal to his task ; he took up and pur- 

 sued most honourably the same principles which 

 Mr. Robinson upholds, until he found it would 

 not produce the grand object, riches. The 

 fact seems to be that Bakewell unfortunately 

 experienced the fate of many men of first-rate 

 abilities, viz. to have expended in the pursuit 

 of science, more than he gained ; and perhaps, 

 under the depression of heavy expense and 

 mortification, was induced to submit to the fas- 

 cination of fame, and to court fortune through 

 the medium of fancy or fashion. This line of 

 conduct, undoubtedly, gives Mr. Robinson the 

 advantage of accusing him of a want of true 

 patriotism, but it by no means supports the 

 charge of ignorance. A man of genius, who 

 can command the fashion, will feel no difficulty 

 in putting himself upon an equality with the 

 plodding man ; but the plodding man can never 

 place himself upon equal terms with the man 

 of genius, as a leader of fashion. Bakewell, in 

 the pursuit of perfection in the way of business, 

 became so thoroughly acquainted with the laws 

 of nature, as to be able to lead her to her 



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