50 . QJJ ADRUPEDS. 



Without the dog, how could man have been able to conquer and 

 donnefticate other animals ? How could he difcover and chafe thofe 

 noxious to him ? The firft art of man was to conciliate the favour of 

 the dog ; and the fruits of this art were, the conqueft and peaceable 

 poflefTion of the earth. The generality of animals have fuperior agility, 

 fwiftnefs, or arms, than man j their fenles> particularly fmelling, are 

 fuperior. 1 he acquifition, therefore, of an affiftant, efpecially one 

 whofe fcentis lb exquifite, was gaining afenfe which before was wanting. 



The dog, thus taken into office, exerts a fuperiority over all animals 

 under human protedlion. The flock and the herd obey him ; he con- 

 du6bs them, guards them, and confiders their enemies as his own. 

 When the found of the horn, or the voice of the huntfman, calls him 

 to the field, he purfues with pieafure and perfeverance. All animals 

 that live on flelh hunt by nature ; the lion and the tiger, fure to conquer^ 

 hunt alone; the wolf, the fox, the wild dog, hunt in packs; but the 

 domeltic dog, when he has been taught by man, hunts with method, 

 and with fuccefs. 



The wild dog is at prefent unknown ; yet there are many that, from 

 a domeftic flate, have returned to wildnefs (or rather are without 

 mailers), and entirely purfue the dictates of nature ; of thefe it is af- 

 ferted, .that when they have run down an animal, they ftill preferve fo 

 much refpe«5l for mankind, as to fuffer part to be taken away without 

 growling. Multitudes wild in Africa and South-America; they unite 

 in large bodies, and attack the moil formidable animals of the foreft, 

 the cougar, the panther, and the bifon ; even man himfelf does not 

 pafs without infult. But they are eafily tamed ; when taken home, and 

 treated with kindnefs and lenity, they quickly become fubmifTive 

 and familiar, and continue faithfully attached to their mafters. Dif- 

 ferent in this from the wolf or the fox, who, though taken never fo 

 young, are gentle only while cubs, and, as they grow older, obey their 

 natural appetites of rapine. In fhorr, the dog is the only animal whofe 

 fidelity is unfhaken ; who knows his maftcr and his friends; who in- 

 ftantly diftinguifhes a ftranger; who knows and anfwers to his name; 

 who feems to underftand the nature of fubordination, and feeks afRft- 

 ance ; who, when he mifTes his mafter, teftifies his lofs by complaints ; 

 who, carried to a diftance, can find the way home. The only animal 

 whofe natural talents are always fuccefsfully improved by education. 



The varieties of this animal are too many for the moft careful de- 

 fcribcr to mention. Climate, food, education, produce alterations ia" 

 6 fliape. 



