INTRODUCTION. 61 



adroit and intelligent manner. The story reaching the 

 ears of a gentleman travelling in that neighbourhood, 

 he bought the dog for a considerable sum of money. 

 Extraordinary as the circumstances are, I have no 

 doubt whatever as to the perfect correctness of the 

 statement. I resided for a twelvemonth within a few 

 miles of the spot, and, as I before observed, the whole 

 appeared fresh in every one's recollection. 



I remember watching a shepherd's boy in Scotland, 

 who was sitting on the bank of a wide but shallow 

 stream. A sheep had stiayed to a considerable dis- 

 tance on the other side of the water ; the boy, calling 

 to his dog, ordered him to fetch that sheep back, but to 

 do it gently, for she was heavy in lamb. I do not affect 

 to say that the dog understood the reason for which he 

 was commanded to perform this office in a more gentle 

 manner than usual ; but that he did understand he was 

 to do it gently was very evident, for he immediately 

 marched away through the water, came gently up to the 

 side of the sheep, turned her towards the rest, and then 

 both dog and sheep walked quietly side by side back to 

 the flock. I was scarcely ever more pleased at a 

 trifling incident in rural scenery than at this. 



The natural sagacity of the dog, united with a teach- 

 able disposition, was early turned by man to many 

 useful purposes. In antient history we have many 

 relations of cultivated talents in dogs, as well as many 

 anecdotes of extraordinary feats performed by them. 

 Some breeds inherit this aptitude more than others, 

 though all are sufficiently docile. The barbet, or poodle, 

 is a prominent instance : I have seen several of these 

 who have performed the ordinary offices of a servant ; 

 they would run on errands, shut the door, ring the bell, 

 &c. &c. In some instances they have been sent to con- 



