66 THE MASTIFF. 



length the chancellor, with more warmth than became a 

 man in his high station, (but he had a natural antipathy to 

 cats) asked who had brought the cat amongst them ? 

 The poor boy, who had waited to see how puss conducted 

 herself, was so terrified, that he thought it best to confess, 

 and accordingly told the chancellor that his master had 

 often sent him out to lose the cat, but that she constantly 

 returned ; and hearing his master say, that morning, if he 

 could but get the cat into the Court of Chancery, he was 

 sure she would never get out again, he had, in obedience 

 to his master's wish, though not his orders, turned her out 

 among them. The chancellor was a man of humour ; and, 

 upon inquiring the name of the pastry-cook, he found he 

 was plaintiff in a cause of long standing, (Paste against 

 Puff) which he immediately ordered to be set down for 

 hearing; and it happened that he decreed in favour of 

 Paste, though the whole council were unanimous for Puff." 



THE MASTIFF. 



BRITAIN was formerly so famous for this noble breed 

 of dogs, that the Roman emperors maintained certain 

 officers in this island, whose sole employment it was to 

 train these animals for the combats of the amphitheatre. 



Dr. Saius, who wrote in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, 

 affirms, that three English mastiffs are a match for a 

 bear, and four for a lion. From an experiment, however, 

 made in the Tower by King James I. it was found, 

 that a lion was an unequal match for only three of 

 them ; for, though two of the dogs were disabled in the 

 conflict, the third put the lion to flight. 



The Shepherd Dog is supposed to approach nearest to 

 the original animal. It is used to protect the sheep, and 

 will not only defend them, but keep them in order, and 

 collect them into a flock. It is much stronger and larger 

 in many parts of Europe than in England. 



The numerous varieties of the dog species, are useful in 

 divers ways to man. They assist him in hunting for the 

 destruction of the beasts of prey, and the acquirement of 

 those wild species which are good for food. They protect 

 the flock of the shepherd, and the property of the peasant 

 and citizen. They are watchful, faithful, capable of strong 



