Vlll PREFACE. 



I thought at first of illustrating this book somewhat after the manner 

 of Berjeaus work. " The varieties of Dogs as they are found in old Scujp- 

 tiires, "Pictures, Engravings, and Books " but I perceived that unless 1 

 could draw and engrave the blocks myself I could not be secure against 

 introduction and alteration on the artists part; which however slight, 

 would nevertheless be detrimental to the subject, for it is not easy to meet 

 with a copyist like the bright airy Gay depicts. 



" So very like the painter drew, 

 That every eye the picture knew ; 

 He hit complexion, feature, air, 

 So just the life itself was there ; 

 He gave each muscle all its strength 

 The mouth the chin, the noses length ; 

 Plis honest pencil touch'd witli truth 

 And marked the date of age and youth.'' 



While I cannot speak too highly of Berjeaus work, for the insight it 

 furnishes to Canine History, the text is very scant, and in places incor- 

 rect, it being palpable that Berjeau was no judge of dogs, he plainly could 

 not distinguish between the different breeds, for we find him terming 

 Boarhound like representations, Bloodhounds. 



I write this impartially and simply to warn my readers, for when we 

 consider the time and trouble that he must have devoted to collect the 

 various examples he gives, it would be invidious not to acknowledge the 

 merits of his work. 



Having pointed out their defects and difficulties it will readily be seen 

 why, (not personally possessing the artistic talent of a John Latham.) I 

 preferred relying on my discriptive powers for the various points, and re- 

 ferring my readers to the originals ; rather than availing myself of the 

 aid of the artists, however good a copyist I might have procured. 



Poets and Painters are often the unintentional historians of their age 

 and the following pages will disclose that they have handed down to us 

 much history of the mastiff. The great Poet of the age, our Visionary 

 Laureate has been very silent about the English mastiff. To me this is 

 a little grief as with his powers of weaving semi-historical semi-mystical 

 romances, he could compose a poem on the breed that would eclipse what 

 Gay, Shakespeare and even Virgil have left us. 



M. B. WYNN, 



THE ELMS, 



ROTHLEY, LEICESTERSHIRE. 

 JANUARY, 188G. 



