Mr. Watsons and Mr. Browns Pigs. 8 7 



"Advance Symmetry," and " No Surrender!" and it 

 sank at last into " Aint," " We," " Stunners ?" 



Mr. Watson's were generally of a less and rather 

 finer-boned sort than his neighbour's, Mr. Brown's, of 

 The High, and were kept like his, principally upon 

 new milk and oatmeal and barley mixed. After a 

 fortnight, they would be coaxed into drinking a quart 

 of new milk at three or four times. They would then 

 have a pint at each end of the day, but never more 

 than two quarts. No sleeping draught could be more 

 potent, and sleep is the chief promoter of pork. The 

 Highland and Agricultural Society was Mr. Brown's 

 favourite show sphere, and Liberator, Wenlock, and 

 Thormanby blood his delight. His pigs might often 

 be picked out by the blue spots on their quarters and 

 backs. It was give and take between him and Mr. 

 Watson when they met in the show-ring, and Faith, 

 Hope, and Charity had opponents worthy of them at 

 Carlisle. Mrs. Brown was an excellent home secre- 

 tary in pig matters ; but her husband never knew 

 when to sell. He refused good prices, and brought 

 back sows, tried to reduce them for a year or two, and 

 found them only barren fig-trees after all. Prices 

 went down when he and others were watching for 

 them to go up, and at last 4/. or 5/. could hardly be 

 got, where io/. or I2/. had been given without scruple 

 before.* 



A little further West, and we reach Workington 

 Hall, once the Holkham or Woburn of the North. The 

 late Mr. John Grey had seen a great deal, and spoke 

 much to us of Mr. Curwen and his nephew Mr. Bla- 

 mire.t According to him, the future Tithe Commis- 

 sioner was at that time " a quiet subject, and very 

 much under his uncle." He attended Rosley Hill 



* For a sketch of the Cumberland bacon trade, see "Field and 

 Fern" (South) pp. 326-332. 



For whom in detail, see Dr. Lonsdale's "Cumberland Worthies." 



