122 The Dog Book 



that his (Laverack's) setters have been of great service to sportsmen in 

 giving pace and style when crossed with other breeds." 



Those entitled by experience to enter into any controversy on the 

 subject of Mr. Laverack's and Mr. Llewellyn's setters know only too well 

 that the authority thus quoted cannot be gainsaid in any facts, and that 

 the arguments with which he leads up to his opinions are exceedingly hard 

 to controvert. That then was the position of the Llewellyns in England at 

 the very time they were being forced upon the American market by a very 

 much interested coterie intent on striking the financial iron while they were 

 keeping it hot. 



Even in Shaw's "Book of the Dog," published in 1880, there is no 

 intimation that Mr. Llewellyn had "set the Thames on fire" with his world 

 beaters, and the only references to that gentleman are: "Mr. R. LI. Purcell- 

 Llewellyn is one of our greatest Laverack breeders of the day, and spares 

 no trouble or expense in perfecting his strain. . . . Count Wind'em, 

 Countess Bear and Countess Moll are the bright particular stars of Mr. 

 Llewellyn's kennel, and the first named is a great, big, useful-looking dog.'* 

 We do not advance the latter quotations as in any way conclusive, for it is 

 very evident that the setter article in that book was a piece of patch work, 

 written by various persons, but that there is no mention of what was at 

 that time to Americans the most wonderful combination of ability and 

 good looks proves that they were exciting very little attention in England 

 compared with what the agitation in the American press had accomplished 

 in this country. 



Early Importations of Laveracks 



The success of the Laveracks in England, coupled with the interest 

 engendered here by the publication of Mr. Laverack's book, unavoidably 

 inspired American progressive sportsmen with the wish to secure some of 

 the much-to-be-desired breed, and when it was announced early in 1874 

 that Mr. Laverack was offering for sale a brace of his dogs, he became 

 the recipient of many inquiries, and of several offers to purchase them. 

 Upon receipt of a communication accompanied by a draft for the amount 

 asked, he shipped to New York the first pair of his dogs exported to this 

 country, where they arrived in July of that year. These dogs were Pride 

 of the Border, and Fairy, purchased by Mr. Charles H. Raymond, of Fox 



