298 



DOG. 



and, upon looking after him, it was observed that he 

 was crossing- the intervening hollow in a straight line 

 for the house of the farmer, or rather on an embassy 

 to the farmer's mastiff. The farmer's people noticed 

 this unusual visit, and they were induced to notice it 

 from its being a meeting of peace between those who 

 had habitually been belligerents. After some inter- 

 course of which no interpretation could be given, the 

 two set off together in the direction of the mill ; and, 

 having arrived there, they in brief space engaged the 

 miller's bull-dog as an ally. 



The straight road to the village where the indignity 

 had been offered to the Newfoundland doe passed 

 immediately in front of that dog's master's house, but 

 there was a more private and more circuitous road by 

 the back of the mill. The three took this road, reached 

 the village, scoured it in great wrath, putting to the 

 tooth every cur they could get sight of; and having 

 taken their revenge, and washed themselves in a ditch, 

 they returned, each dog to the abode of his master ; 

 and, when any two of them happened to meet after- 

 wards, they displayed the same pugnacity as they had 

 done previous to this joint expedition. 



It should seem that in this case there was a mere 

 momentary concert for the accomplishment of one 

 object among three dogs differing considerably in their 

 habits, and that when this momentary purpose was 

 accomplished, the wonted animosity of the three 

 returned, and they fought as readily with each other 

 as ever. But it docs not appear that all casual, or 

 apparently casual interferences of dogs for the benefit 

 of each other, pass off in this momentary way ; for 

 there is another well authenticated anecdote of two 

 dogs at Donaghadee, in which the instinctive daring 

 of the one by the other caused a friendship, and as it 

 should seem a kind of lamentation for the dead, after 

 one of them had paid the debt of nature. This hap- 

 pened while the government harbour or pier for the 

 packets at Donaghadee was in the course of building, 

 and it happened in the sight of several witnesses. 

 The one dog in this case also was a Newfoundland, 

 and the other was a mastiff. They were both power- 

 ful dogs ; and, though each was good natured when 

 alone, they were very much in the habit of fighting 

 when they met. One day they had a fierce and pro- 

 longed battle on the pier, from the point of which 

 they both fell into the sea, and, as the pier was long 

 and steep, they had no means of escape but by swim- 

 ming a considerable distance. Throwing water upon 

 fighting dogs is an approved means of putting an end 

 to their hostilities : and it is natural to suppose that 

 two combatants of the same species tumbling them- 

 selves into the sea would have the same effect. It 

 had, and each began to make for the land as he best 

 could. The Newfoundland being an excellent swim- 

 mer very speedily gained the pier, on which he stood 

 shaking himself; but at the same time watching the 

 motions of his former antagonist, which, no swimmer, 

 was struggling exhausted in the water, and just about 

 to sink. In dashed the Newfoundland dog, took the 

 other gently by the collar, kept his head above water, 

 and brought him safely on shore. There was a pecu- 

 liar kind of recognition between the two animals ; 

 they never fought again, they were always together ; 

 and when the Newfoundland dog had been accident- 

 ally killed by the passage of a stone waggon on the 

 railway over him, the other languished and evidently 

 lamented for a long time. 



We must not wonder at this permanent attachment, 



apparent gratitude, and apparent memory of grief, 

 because there are very many instances of dogs who 

 have not only refused to quit the bodies of their 

 human masters, but have laid themselves down on 

 their graves, refusinsr all consolation and all nourish- 

 ment, and actually continued there till they perished 

 of hunger. Now, it' we find instances in which dogs 

 have done this for human masters, or more strictly 

 speaking human companions, we can hardly question 

 its existence as between one dog and another, if the 

 proper circumstances shall call it into exercise. The 

 companionship which the dog feels for man is still 

 part of the character of the animal as a dog , and, 

 therefore, though we do not so well understand the 

 manner in which it is brought about, we have every 

 reason to believe that it must be stronger as between 

 dog and dog, than as between a dog and any other 

 animal. But the communications of animals with 

 each other, and the means which social ones have of 

 forming those connexions with each other which may 

 be called simple attachments, as not being connected 

 either with their feeding or with their physiology, are 

 matters very difficult to be explained. 



Perhaps no description of the general character of 

 any animal is more accurate than that of the dog by 

 Buffon ; and therefore we shall prefer giving a por- 

 tion of it in substance to any thing which we could 

 originally write ; and we do this the more readily, 

 that popular description is almost all that can be 

 written, except as referring to particular species. 

 The dog, independently of the beauty of his form, 

 his vivacity, force, and swiftness, is possessed of all 

 those internal qualifications that can conciliate the 

 affections of man, and make the tyrant a protector. 

 A natural share of courage, an angry and ferocious 

 disposition, renders the dog in its savage state a for- 

 midable enemy to all other animals : but these very 

 readily give way to very different qualities in the 

 domestic dog, whose only ambition seems the desire 

 to please : he is seen to come crouching along, to 

 lay his force, his courage, and all his useful talents at 

 the feet of his master ; he waits his orders, to which 

 he pays implicit obedience ; he consults his looks, 

 and a single glance is sufficient to put him in motion ; 

 he is more faithful even than the most boasted among 

 men ; he is constant in his affections, friendly without 

 interest, and grateful for the slightest favours ; much 

 more mindful of benefits received, than injuries offered, 

 he is not driven off by unkindness ; he still continues 

 humble, submissive, and imploring ; his only hope to 

 be serviceable, his only terror to displease ; he licks 

 the hand that has been just lifted to strike him, and 

 at last disarms resentment by submissive perseve- 

 rance. 



More docile than man, more obedient than any 

 other animal, he is not only instructed in a short time, 

 but he also conforms to the dispositions and the man- 

 ners of those who command him. He takes his tone 

 from the house he inhabits ; like the rest of the 

 domestics, he is disdainful among the great, and 

 churlish among clowns. Always assiduous in serving 

 his master, and only a friend to his friends, he is 

 indifferent to all the rest, and declares himself openly 

 against such as seem dependent like himself. He 

 knows a begsrar by his clothes, by his voice, or his 

 gestures, and forbids his approach. When at night 

 the guard of the house is committed to his care, he 

 seems proud of the charge ; he continues a watchful 

 sentinel, he goes his rounds, scents strangers at a dis- 



