32 THE MASTIFF TYPE. 



never-the-less amusing error over some brazen dogs at Cote- 

 hele House. Mr. Thompson informed me that he understood 

 that they were very ancient colossal dogs, upwards of four 

 feet high, and beyond doubt casts of Molossian dogs or 

 mastiffs. I wrote to the Dowager Countess Mount Edgcombe, 

 who very kindly informed me of the error, the" dogs in question 

 being only ancient brazen fire dogs, upwards of 250 years old, 

 and standing some four feet high. Had I accepted my late 

 friend's statement without further enquiry, and enlarged upon 

 it in Goldsmith-like style, it would justly have landed me in 

 rather a brazensmith literary bungle, but I have endeavoured 

 to verify as far as possible the statements I have made use of 

 throughout this work. 



De la Barre Duparcq in his work "The Dogs of War" 

 which is in the French, mentions that there are two ancient 

 marble statues in the Vatican at Rome of the true Molossian 

 dogs, and Col. H. Smith states that in the Vatican collection 

 of Sculpture there is only one statue of a genuine mastiff. 



The high state of perfection to which ancient sculptor's 

 attained in representing the dog at a very early date in its 

 various attitudes and varieties, may be gathered from the fine 

 piece of sculpture (attributed to Myron) at Dtmcombe Park, 

 Yorkshire, which is a figure of Alcibiade's dog, and it will be 

 remembered Alcibiades died 404 B.C. As a further proof of 

 the perfection art had attained and the early existence of 

 certain recognised breeds. In the Hall, of Animals in the 

 Vatican at Rome, is a remarkably fine statue of a dog of 

 pointer-like form, represented at a dead point, sculptured out 

 of white marble, interspersed with black knots and veins. 

 This ancient work of art was found under the ruins of a 

 mansion in ancient Rome, the execution is said to be faultless, 



