130 Recollections of the Vine Hunt. 



to perpetuate the pure breed : but, after two years* 

 trial, he abandoned the former, and stuck to the 

 latter idea. That these were the first, or at least 

 amongst the first, Southdown sheep introduced into 

 this district seems to be proved by the fact, that an 

 excessive prejudice was still entertained against them. 

 Mr. Terry met with as much ridicule on the subject 

 at Basingstoke, as Gilbert White's friend could have 

 encountered at Chichester, twenty-eight years earlier. 

 Amongst other absurdities he was gravely assured 

 that the manure of these nezv f angled animals zvould 

 prove worthless ; and that folding them over a field 

 woidd do no good. But within seven years a complete 

 reaction had taken place in the agricultural mind, and 

 the Southdowns became so much the fashion that 

 even a wether of that breed would command a higher 

 price than one equally large and fat of the old sort. 

 It is scarcely necessary to add that the Southdowns 

 have never ceased to occupy the countries which they 

 so rapidly acquired ; that they are now to be found in 

 most parts of the British Islands, and that Hampshire 

 and Wiltshire in particular have each their own sort, 

 bred and named from them. 



The entire success of the Southdowns may be con- 

 trasted with the comparative failure of a rival tribe. 

 About the year 18 10 the campaigns of Wellington in 

 Spain brought into notice the Merino sheep. Great 

 resufts were expected from them, and it was pre- 

 dicted that they would beat every other kind out of 

 the field. I can remember when their merits were 

 the common topic of conversation amongst gentlemen 

 after dinner ; and I remember also to have seen some 

 unhappy specimens shivering in flannel jackets on 



