BOOK OP NATURE LAID OPEN. 59 



distinctly njarked than those of perhaps any other 

 animal with which we are intimately acquainted. 

 He says, that the shepherd^s dog (a variety of the 

 canine species, by the bye, which cannot be so dis- 

 tinctly recognized as many other kinds,) ^s the ori- 

 ginal stock from which the greyhound, the spaniel, 

 the pointer, the harrier, the bull -dog, the lap-dog, 

 the mastiff, the terrier, and every other variety, are 

 all directly produced ; and he even goes so far as to 

 specify the means that are necessary to be adopted 

 for producing these changes. It is painful to dwell 

 upon the accidental failings of a man of genius ; for 

 which reason we decline following him in his ex- 

 cursive career, and exposing the absurdities into 

 which he has fallen in pursuing.it. We have only 

 to regret, that a man of such distinguished talents 

 should have so far overlooked facts that were easily 

 within his reach, as to have so positively dogmatised 

 upon this subject in direct contradiction to them ; 

 for the multitude, who think not at all, follow the 

 authority of one who is, on many accounts, so re- 

 spectable, without the smallest degree of hesitation. 

 In consequence of this great authority, the hypo- 

 thesis above stated has been tacitly, at least, assent- 

 ed to by the literary world in general, for some time 

 past, though it will not require great exertions to 

 "bring such evidence, as we hope will prove satis- 

 factory to every reader, to shew that the fact is di- 

 rectly the reverse of what this learned philosopher 

 has stated it to be. 



