434 History of the Author's 



on land, which was rich, comparatively with their native desert. The inutton which 

 thev afforded was of a delicious flavour. So far was well. On the other hand, 

 their wool was inconceivably coarse, and, in point of weight, almost nothing. 



About this period, 1792, the late Earl Bathurst informed me of the design which 

 the King had then, as I understood, recently entertained, of introducing into Eng- 

 land the Spanish breed of sheep. Of these he had given Lord Bathurst a ram, 

 which was, at that time, in his Lordship's park, at Cirencester. 



In reflecting on this subject, my mind soon became impressed with the belief, 

 that, circumstanced as I was, the most profitable application of such land as mine 

 would be to a breed of sheep, the return of which would chiefly depend on the 

 fleece. My care would thus be at once abridged. I should no longer depend for 

 my profit on the butcher. The wool would be easily weighed ; its value as easily 

 ascertained, and readily given by some of the numerous clothiers who lived at a 

 short distance from me. 



In order to accomplish this end, no better mode occurred to me than to pursue 

 the project of his Majesty, by crossing our native English ewes with Merino rams. 

 I had considered with some attention, but soon rejected as unconformable to the 

 fixed analogy of nature, the prejudices which had limited the production of wool of 

 the Spanish quality to that small space of earth, on which, in our times, it happened 

 to be found : nor had I any doubt that, with due care, and in a sufficient length of 

 time, the properties of the parent fleece might be transmitted to the hybrid pro- 

 geny. This end it was natural for me to seek by what seemed to be the readiest 

 means. Accordingly I fixed, as the basis of my experiments, on that breed, which 

 has long been reputed for affording some of the finest wool in this Island. This was 

 the Ryeland ; a breed otherwise adapted to my purpose by its hardiness, and its habits 

 of easily subsisting on a poor soil. Of these sheep I procured a sufficient number, 

 of the pure uncrossed race. My chief difficulty lay on the side of the male. For 

 an obscure individual like me to obtain from Majesty the intire possession of a 

 Merino ram, was utterly impracticable. I was, therefore, obliged to confine my 

 wishes within narrower limits, and readily had leave from Lord Bathurst to send 

 six of my ewes to his Spaniard. The same liberty he kindly offered me the follow- 

 ing year; but, through feelings of delicacy, which were doubtless misplaced, I 

 availed myself of this privilege only for two ewes. From what flock in Sp.iin this 

 ram was derived, I am unable to say. He was, surely, the most hideous of his kind. 



