SHEEP AND GOAT. 19 



Loaded with a heavy fleece, incapable of defence by its horns, heavy, 

 flow, and feeble, it can have no fafety but fronn man. Thofe without 

 horns are moft dull and heavy ; thofe whofe fleeces are longeft and 

 fineft^, are moil lubject to diforders ; whatever changes have been 

 wrought in this animal being by human induftry, are intirely calculated 

 for human advantage. A fuccefllon of ages could fcarce reilore the 

 fheep to its primitive ftate, fo as to become a match for its foes of 

 the foreft. 



The goat is much its fuperior ; has its particular attachments, fees 

 danger, and generally contrives to efcape it ; but the ftieep is timid 

 without caufe, and fecure in real danger. 



It does not appear, from early writers, that the flieep was bred in 

 Britain ; nor till feveral ages after this animal was cultivated, that the 

 woollen manufadlure was carried on among us. That valuable branch 

 of bufmefs lay for a confidcrable time in foreign hands ; and we were 

 obliged to import the cloth, manufadured from our own materials. 



No country, however, produces fuch flieep as England ; with larger 

 fleeces, or better adapted for the loom. Thofe of Spain, indeed, arc 

 finer, and we generally require fome of their wool to work up with our 

 own ; but the weight of a Spanilh fleece is much inferior to one of 

 Lincoln or Warv^ickfliire : where it is no uncommon thing togive fifty 

 guineas for a ram. 



Sheep, like other ruminant animals, want the upper fore teeth ; 

 have eight in the lower jaw : two of thefe drop, and are replaced at 

 two years old ; four of them are replaced at three years old j and all 

 at four. The new teeth are difl:inguifiied by their freflinefs and white- 

 nefs. Some breeds in England never change their teeth } thefe the fliep- 

 herds call leather- mouthed cattle ; and they are generally fuppofed to 

 grow old a year or two before the reft. Sheep bring one or two at 

 a time J fometimes three or four. They bear five months i and, bv 

 being houfed, bring forth at any time of the year. 



If we look for this animal in its nobleft ftate, we muft feek it in the 

 African defart, or the extenfive plains of Siberia. Its defcendants have 

 fuffered fo many changes, as entirely to dilguife the kind, and often to 

 miilead the obferver. Scarce any two countries has flieep alike, in fize, 

 covering, fliape, or horns. 



The woolly ftieep is found only in Europe, and fome of the tempe- 

 rate provinces of Afia. When tranfported into hotter countries, it 

 affumes a covering fitted to the climate, hairy and rough ; lofes its 



No. *U E ^feitility. 



