THE MODERN GREYHOUND. 21 



is the source of movement in every quivering muscle, and 

 is variously seen in every action of the dog, and in every 

 changing emotion of which he is capable. This I con- 

 ceive to be the only difficulty in the way of judging by 

 points, and it is not insuperable : this is, probably, what is 

 often meant by condition and quality. 



The judge must, however, as already said, consider, and 

 if need be describe, not only the general appearance of 

 the animal and the impression he conveys to his (the 

 judge's) mind, but, as it were, take him to pieces, assess- 

 ing the value of each particular part according to its fit- 

 ness for the performance of the special function for which 

 it is designed, and under the peculiar conditions in which 

 it will have to act ; and having done so, he will find his 

 first opinion confirmed precisely in the ratio of his fitness 

 to judge. 



Before taking the points one by one, I must give the 

 description of a Greyhound as laid down in the doggerel 

 rhymes of the illustrious authoress of " The Booke of St. 

 Alban's," Dame Juliana Berners, or Barnes, somewhile 

 Abbess of Sopewell, and since described as "a second 

 Minerva in her studies and another Diana in her diver- 

 sions." It would be sheer heresy to write of Greyhounds 

 without introducing her description, so universally has this 

 been done ; I therefore give it in full, which 1 have never 

 seen done by any modern authority. In doing so, I must 

 confess there are two lines that to me are somewhat obscure. 

 I, however, venture to suggest that in his eighth year he 

 is only a lick ladle fit to lick a trencher ; and in his ninth 

 year, cart and saddle may be used to take him to the 

 tanner. 



