THE MASTIFF* 119 



Engagement between three mastiffs and a lion. 



to quit his hold. The lion, greatly exhausted 

 now refused to renew the engagement: but, 

 taking a sudden leap over the dogs, fled into 

 the interior part of his den. Two of the dogs 

 soon died of their wounds: the last survived, and 

 was taken great care of by the king's son; who 

 said, " He that had fought with the king of 

 beasts should never after fight with any inferior 

 creature." 



This animal, conscious of his superior strength, 

 has been known to chastise, with great dignity, 

 the impertinence of an inferior. A large mastiff 

 belonging to the late M. Ridley, Esq., of Hea- 

 ton, near Newcastle, being frequently molested 

 by a mongrel, and teased by its perpetual bark- 

 ing, at last took it up in his mouth by the back, 

 and with great composure dropped it over the 

 quay into the river, without doing any farther in- 

 jury to his contemptible enemy. 



Sir. H. Lee, of Ditchley, in Oxfordshire, an- 

 cestor of the late earls of Litchfield, had a mas- 

 tiff which guarded the house and yard, but had 

 never met with any particular attention from his 

 master. In short, he was not a favourite dog, 

 and was retained for his utility only, and not 

 from any partial regard. 



One night, as Sir Harry was retiring to his 

 chamber, attended by his favourite valet, an Ita- 

 lian, the mastiff silently followed them up stairs, 

 which he had never been known to do before; 

 and, to his master's astonishment, presented hirn- 

 . ii. NO. x. Q 



