170 



Sketch of Robert Bakewell, Esq. 



Vol. VI 



herds of Mr. Webster, near Coventry, and 

 Mr. Fowler, of Rolwright, which, being 

 crossed with the most excellent of the Lan- 

 cashire breed, produced a stock of cattle that 

 was held in the highest estimation for a con- 

 siderable time; but fashion varies even with 

 respect to animals, though the Dishley breed 

 was kept up for some years after the death 

 of Mr. Bakewell, by Mr. Paget, of Rostock, 

 Mr. Astley, of Addeston, and to a more re- 

 cent period, by Mr. Huskisson, of South 

 Croxton; though when a sale of the latter 

 gentleman's stock took place, about thirty 

 years after that of Mr. Paget's, there was a 

 great depreciation in the intrinsic value of 

 the cattle, although they were allowed to 

 be some of the best and purest specimens of 

 the Dishley herd. 



At this sale the famous bull, Shakspeare, 

 which was bred by Mr. Fowler, by Shak- 

 speare, pere, out of Young Nell, fetched 

 400 guineas, to which the seller appended 

 the condition that he should have the privi- 

 lege of having the use of him for two cows 

 yearly. The heifers by this animal also sold 

 well, one two years old realized 84 guineas, 

 and another, one year older, 70 guineas. Mr. 

 Bakewell preferred rearing small-boned cat- 

 tle, and considered them to be in everv way 

 the most profitable, both to the farmer and 

 the consumer. He also strongly recommend- 

 ed great attention being paid to the quality 

 of the cows intended for breeders, and justly- 

 remarked that, when a sound discretion was 

 not used, the produce often failed, and then 

 the bull was frequently unjustly blamed. 

 He was exceedingly particular in his own 

 selections, and he prized his favourite bull, 

 called Twopenny, so highly, that he refused 

 €'200 for him ; and he appears to have been 

 somewhat choice of his produce, for he rare- 

 ly sold any of them, though he let them at 

 high prices for the season.* 



Celebrated and excellent as Mr. Bake- 

 well's breeds of horses and cattle were, still 

 more so was his breed of sheep. Perhaps 

 at no period of time, certainly not in his, was 

 such an improvement made in this valuable 

 animal. In the present day cultivators of 

 flowers are continually producing new spe- 

 cies, but Mr. Bakewell was beforehand with 

 them, for he may truly be said to have been 

 the producer of a new variety of sheep. 

 Combined efforts frequently produce great 

 improvements; for practical men, by conden- 



• Mr. Bakewell had, at Disbley farm, peroral car- 

 fthe different breeds preserved whole in pickfcf, 



Which distinctly showed the thickness of the Mesh and 

 tat, and also the smallrress of the offal. He had like- 

 wise skeletons, unh distinct portions of the bones 

 heads, ribs, &.c, of the animals. 



sing their energies into one focus, may brin 

 forward important results. But Mr. Bak 

 well's was a master mind; his own skill ar 

 genius overcame obstacles that to others a 

 peared to be insurmountable ; and his lonj 

 woolled sheep became the pride of Leiceste 

 shire. It was entirely his own work, ai 

 the time he took to complete his wonderf 

 improvement was incredibly short. In oi 

 day the Southdowns have been brought 

 the highest state of perfection by Ellma 

 Grantham, Webb, the Duke of Richmon 

 and others, the superiority of whose flocl 

 do honour to the agricultural interests of tl 

 country ; but they were brought to this sta 

 of perfection by the union of several partie 

 Mr. Bakewell stood alone, and to him we a: 

 solely indebted for that beautiful and usef 

 animal, the new Leicester sheep. 



It was not on a suddden that Mr. Bak 

 well attained his high celebrity as a shee 

 breeder. It is recorded of him that the fii 

 ram he led out, he drove himself to Leice 

 ter fair, and obtained only 16s. for the u 

 of him for the season. About 1760, his ran 

 did not sell for more than from two to thn 

 guineas each, and after this time he did n 

 receive for their hire more than from 15s. 

 a guinea per head. He now gradually a 

 vanced his terms, and in 1770 he let some 

 them for 25 guineas. Mr. Bakewell used 

 tell an anecdote respecting the difference 

 judgment in respect to the value of cattl 

 He was once attending Loughborough Tu 

 market, where he had a ram which he hi 

 let for 25 guineas. Soon after the agreeme 

 was concluded, another farmer offered to pu 

 chase the animal, and Mr. Bakewell jestin 

 ly fixed the price at 25s. The farmer co 

 sidered this too much, and offered 18s., ai 

 eventually they parted for 2s. This w 

 something on a par with the judgment 

 some Leicestershire farmers respecting 

 heifer which had been purchased for 80 gi: 

 neas, and which thej T a few days after pric< 

 at £8. This may be considered the fir 

 dawning of his fame and fortune. The r 

 putation and prices of his stock so rapid 

 increased, that in a very short time 400 gi 

 neas were given for the use of a ram for tl 

 season. One, called the Two-pounder, pr 

 duced him in one season 800 guineas, besid 

 the produce of his own ewes that were put 

 him, so it may be fairly calculated that tl 

 profits of the produce averaged him 1,2( 

 guineas for one season. 



The ardent mind of Mr. Bikewell wi 

 brought into action about the middle of tl 

 last century, and from that time we ma 

 date the improvement of the Leicester shee 

 About that period he engaged John Breedc 

 for his head shepherd, and it appears that Y 



