DECEMBER 253 



series of humanitarian Acts of Parliament, that which 

 first prohibited dogs being employed as beasts of 

 draught. Seventy or eighty years ago the general 

 plight of draught-animals in this country was very 

 different from what it is now; Parliament set about 

 remedying the lot of horses, asses, and mules, but it 

 prohibited the employment of dogs altogether. Why ? 

 I suppose because dogs appeal more nearly to our 

 sympathies than any other animal, and an overloaded 

 or ill-fed dog stirs more surely the commiseration of 

 the passer-by than the mute endurance of a cab-horse : 

 nevertheless, the Act was probably a mistake. Mark 

 the behaviour of dogs in those Continental countries 

 where they are still employed to draw carts. They go 

 at their work with a will, and, being naturally social 

 and co-operative animals, seem to enjoy the sense of 

 being helpful. I am never tired of watching these 

 industrious, willing servants in the streets of Brussels 

 or Berlin, and although they are sometimes overloaded 

 (which is a proper subject for legislation), I have never 

 happened to see one otherwise maltreated, nor one 

 whose behaviour showed dread of or indifference to his 

 employer. In fact, it does not pay to ill-use a dog in 

 harness. Strike him, and he will not suffer mutely 

 and redouble his efforts like the less intelligent horse, 

 but will lie down and yelp or creep under his cart. 

 When not in motion he can lie down in the shafts and 

 rest himself or sit up and scratch. The right, there- 

 fore, which Parliament has conferred on thousands of 

 British dogs is one to statutory idleness, a very dubious 

 boon, as many a fat, overfed collie could testify, which 



