THE DOG. 85 



The disgraced favourite. 



and never quitted it more ! It was in vain that all 

 kind means were used once more to bring him 

 back. Even the humane gaoler assisted to take 

 him food, but he would eat no longer : for four 

 and twenty hours he was absolutely observed to 

 employ (O force of genuine love !) his weak- 

 ened limbs, digging up the earth that separated 

 him from the being he had served. Affection 

 gave him strength, but his efforts were too vehe- 

 ment for his power: his whole frame became 

 convulsed; he shrieked in his struggles; his at- 

 attached and generous heart gave way, and he 

 breathed his last gasp with his last look at the 

 grave, as if he knew he had found, and again 

 should be permitted to associate with his master.'* 

 " A favourite dog, belonging to an English 

 nobleman, had fallen into disgrace, from an in- 

 corrigible habit of annoying the flocks of the 

 neighbouring farmers. One of these having, in 

 vain, driven the depredator from his premises, 

 came at length to the offender's master, with & 

 dead lamb under his arm, the victim of the last 

 night's plunder. The nobleman being extremely 

 angry at the dog's transgression, rang, the bell 

 for his servant, and ordered him to be immedi- 

 ately hanged, or some other way disposed of, sa 

 that, on his return from a journey he was about 

 to undertake, he might never see him again. He 

 then left the apartment, and the fate of the dog was 

 for a few hours suspended. The interval, though 

 short, was not thrown away. The condemned 



