their Dogges, as the dances, where they misse 

 not one cadence of the sounds or notes they heare : 

 Marke but the divers turnings, and severall kinds 

 of motions, which by the commandement of their 

 bare words they make them performe : But I 

 wonder not a little at the effect, which is ordinary 

 among us ; and that is, the dogs which blind men 

 use, both in Citie and Country : I have observed 

 how sodainly they will stop when they come 

 before some doores, where they are wont to 

 receive alms ; how carefully they will avoyd the 

 shocke of Carts and Coaches, even when they 

 have roome enough to passe by them selves. I 

 have scene some, going along a Towne- ditch, 

 leave a plaine and even path, and take a worse, 

 that so they might draw their Master from the 

 ditch. How could a man make the dog conceive, 

 his charge was only to looke to his masters safetie, 

 and for his service to despise his owne commoditie 

 and good ? And how should he have the know- 

 ledge, that such a path would be broade inough 

 for him, but not for a blind man ? Can all this 

 be conceived without reason ? 



Montaigne, translated by Florio. 



10 



