THE MASTIFF IN THE IQTH CENTURY. 147 



Thus we see the Bold breed traces back beyorid 1705, and 

 it is worthy of remark, to use the words of a dear and talented 

 friend. " In Dr. Legh's work there is one omission which 

 ; ' tells significantly against the magniloquent theories about 

 ' the mastiffs of Lyme Hall, for as Dr. Leigh was a kinsman, 

 " he shews a natural pride in describing a breed of hornless 

 " cattle, which the Leghs of Lyme Hall at that time possessed, 

 ' ; but as to remarkable clogs of any sort, mastiff or cur, he says 

 " never a word, although he mentions Peter Legh of Lyme, 

 " then possessed red deer in the park, and that John Legh of 

 Addington, at his park at Stiperly. * had a large sort of 

 " sheep, clothed rather with hair than wool, each sheep having 

 4i four horns, some of them an extraordinary size, the two 

 " horns near the neck are erect, like those of goats, but longer, 

 " the two next the forehead being curved like other sheep, 

 " their flesh agreeable, yet differing from mutton." 



Mr. Robinson's Bold was a very savage specimen, at least 

 when on chain ; the story being that Mr. Robinson wishing to 

 stop a footpath, and having no power to do so legally, thought 

 to try the effect of 



(i A cry of hell-bounds never ceasing bark, 



" With wide Cerberean mouths full loud and rung. 



" A hideous peal." 



And so procured Bold and a large bulldog, and chained these 

 t\vo dogs with kennels so near the footpath, that they could 

 almost reach people if they made use of the path. The result 

 was as he anticipated, people were so frightened of the dogs, 



* These were probably some of the many homed Iceland breed 

 mentioned by Goldsmith in his Nat. Hist., or The Wild Sheep of the 

 Faroe (Danish Faar-oen i.e. Sheep Islands) whose flesh is dark, and 

 venison-like iu flavour. 



