ENGLISH MASTIFF COACH DOG. 177 



bably will be soon lost in the confusion of intermix- 

 tures. 



The refinement of the last and the present age., has 

 produced a happy effect in abolishing those cruel di- 

 versions and savage customs which formerly disgraced 

 human nature. The bull fights in Spain, and the bull- 

 baitings of England, are no\v almost totally disused. 

 The former, however, exhibited a greater appearance 

 of magnanimity than the latter, as in them the ama- 

 teurs of the sport themselves attacked the bull; while 

 those who delighted in bull-baiting were only stupid 

 starers, whe employed their dogs to perform a busi- 

 ness which they themselves durst not undertake, and 

 to face an antagonist which they would have trembled 

 to approach. 



THE ENGLISH M. \STIFF 



was so famous in the time of the Roman emperors, 

 that an officer was appointed to breed and send to 

 Rome such of this species as might be deemed proper 

 for the combats of the amphitheatre. But the genuine 

 and unmixed breed of these dogs, although not abso- 

 lutely extinct, is now seldom rnet with; and most of 

 those distinguished by that name are a compound of 

 different breeds. 



The masting conscious of the superiority of hi* 

 strength, has sometimes been known to chastise v.itli 

 great dignity the insults or impertinence of his infe- 

 riors. Ail animal of this- kind belonging to a gentle- 

 man near Newcastle, had been frequently tea zed and 

 molested by the barking of a little mongrel; but at 

 length, wearied with such impertinence, he took 1 up 

 the contemptible offender in his mouth, and compos- 

 edly dropped it over the quay into the river, without 

 offering it any further injury. 



THE DALMAT! \.\> OR COACH DOU, 



is very common at present 5a this country, and is es- 

 teemed an elegant attendant on a carriage. It is, 

 however, to be hoped that the progress of refinement 

 und good taste will abolish the custom of depriving 

 the poor animal of so useful and ornamental an ap- 

 pendage as its ears, which is so generally practised, 

 i 5 



