348 A MEDLEY OF SPORT 



in that of England, owing to the incredible pains taken 

 by all ranks of men, from the prince to the peasant, for 

 improving the species. Vast numbers of horses are bred 

 in England, and so many sold into foreign countries, that 

 their exportation is now become a considerable branch of 

 commerce. The strength, courage, swiftness, and intre- 

 pidity of the English horse is so well known on the con- 

 tinent of Europe that every prince is desirous of having 

 them in his army. Those which draw equipages in the 

 streets of London are often particularly beautiful." 



The next paragraph should interest and open the 

 eyes of the modern bulldog and mastiff breeder : — 



" We must not omit to mention among the animals 

 peculiar to England the mastiffs and bulldogs, as being 

 far superior to those of any other country, both with 

 regard to strength and courage. They will engage any 

 animal, and generally come off victorious. The lion 

 himself is unable to intimidate them, and two of these 

 dogs being, by order of King James I., turned loose upon 

 one of the most dreadful lions in the Tower, they laid him 

 on his back ; but a still more surprising circumstance 

 attending these creatures is that this innate courage 

 degenerates in foreign countries. Nor is this change 

 peculiar to these dogs. The same is observed with regard 

 to the Enghsh game-cocks, so famous here for their 

 ferocity and courage." 



Having read the above extract, one instinctively 

 wonders what King James's " most dreadful " lion was 

 doing when Messrs Mastiff and Bulldog laid him on his 



