FRENCn DOGS AND GUNS. 19 



perience, and independent of instruction." Good. Tlientliose 

 beings capable of benefit hy instruction, and drawing lessons 

 from expeiience, have something more than instinct ; and is 

 not this the case with every well-broken dog ? Instruction 

 and e.v perience are the very means used to improve him. Either 

 the definition is wTong, or dogs have reason. As Butler, 

 in his " Analogy," well remarks on the general subject, 

 '^ How do we hiow that the Divine economy does not in- 

 clude creatures of this kind?" No one doubts that they 

 have moral affections — as, for instance, that they are 

 governed oj iLewards and punishments, and evince grateful 

 attachments ; and why should we deny them reason ? 

 From prejudice, we put ignorance in the place of know- 

 ledge, and boldly deny them that of which we know little 

 or nothing. 



Well-broken dogs are rare in Britanny, but would not 

 be so very useful. For instance, chasing a hare in Eng- 

 land is a crime Icesce majestatis ; but here it is a useful 

 act. Give your dog time, and he will bring puss round 

 again to you, instead of certainly losing her. In a well- 

 stocked country, of course more harm would be done, by 

 disturbing other game, than good by the recovery of the 

 hare ; but Britanny is not in that happy case. If your dog 

 beats freely, finds his game well, and stands steadily to it 

 when found, do not fret yourself about peccadilloes, but be 

 content wdth him. 



For practical uses, French guns are very inferior to 

 English. Outwardly they are much carved and orna- 

 mented, and have much frippery ; but they do not kill well, 

 neither hitting so hard nor so close as ours. Certainly 



