SHEEP AND GOAT KIND. 257 



could be restored to its primitive state of activity, 

 so as to become a match for its pursuers of the 

 forest. 



The goat, which it resembles in so many other 

 respects, is much its superior. The one has its 

 particular attachments, sees danger, and generally 

 contrives to escape it; but the other is timid 

 without a cause, and secure when real danger 

 approaches. Nor is the sheep, when bred up 

 tame in the house, and familiarized with its 

 keepers, less obstinately absurd : from being dull 

 and timid, it then acquires a degree of pert fami- 

 liarity ; butts with its head, becomes mischievous, 

 and shows itself every way unworthy of being 

 singled out from the rest of the flock. Thus it 

 seems rather formed for slavery than friendship, 

 and framed more for the necessities than the 

 amusements of mankind. There is but one in- 

 stance in which the sheep shows any attachment 

 to its keeper, and that is seen rather on the con- 

 tinent than among us in Great Britain. What I 

 allude to is, their following the sound of the shep- 

 herd's pipe. Before I had seen them trained in 

 this manner, I had no conception of those descrip- 

 tions ia the old pastoral poets, of the shepherd 

 leading his flock from one country to another. 

 As I had been used only to see these harmless 

 creatures driven before their keepers, J supposed 

 that all the rest was but invention ; but in many 

 parts of the Alps, and even some provinces of 

 France, the shepherd and his pipe are still con- 

 tinued with true antique simplicity. The flock 

 is regularly penned every evening, to preserve 



VOL. II. R 



