94 HISTORY OF THE SHORT-HORNS. 



their less active enterprise they failed to achieve that notoriety and 

 high position which the Collings attained and held until they retired 

 from the pursuit. The blood of their stocks, from their frequent bull 

 sales and lettings became widely disseminated through other herds, 

 far and near. Many of their cows were distributed by sales into 

 neighboring as well as distant herds, and the agricultural public at 

 large were benefited, so far as it chose to be, by their labors. 



One thing is certain, more good Short-horns for eighty years past, 

 trace their pedigrees into the blood of the Colling bulls, through the 

 Herd Books, than into the bulls of any twenty other English breed- 

 ers put together, which may be deemed circumstantial if not positive 

 testimony of the successful results of their breeding. "All," to be 

 sure, "is not gold that glitters," as we have seen too much of 

 assumption in our own day to believe that all men are benefactors 

 who receive the laudations of the public for acts in which, were the 

 truth wholly known, other less pretentious parties would have the 

 credit ; yet it is but justice that we record a testimonial of his old 

 friends and neighbors, awarded to Charles on his" retirement from 

 breeding, soon after the public sale of his stock. It was the offering 

 of a valuable piece of plate with the following inscription : 



PRESENTED TO 



MR. CHARLES COLLING, 



THE GREAT IMPROVER OF THE SHORT-HORNED BREED OF CATTLE, 

 BY THE BREEDERS 



(Upwards ofjifty), 

 WHOSE NAMES ARE ANNEXED, 



AS A TOKEN OF GRATITUDE DUE FOR THE BENEFIT THEY HAVE DERIVED FROM HIS JUDGMENT, 

 AND ALSO AS A TESTIMONY OF THEIR ESTEEM FOR HIM AS A MAN. 



1810. 



The address and adroitness of Charles may possibly have had 

 something to do with this exclusive testimonial, to a share in which 

 we think his brother Robert was equally entitled. Uncharitable 

 minds might liken it to the defrauding of Esau of his birthright by 

 his more cunning brother Jacob, but as the more generous Robert 

 did not complain, we may suppose the offering to be an honest one, 

 so far as Charles was concerned. In summing up the labors of the 

 brothers Colling, from all the evidence we have been enabled to 

 glean not forgetting the meritorious efforts of many of their con- 

 temporary breeders they may be said, Robert equally with Charles, 

 to have improved the many admirable qualities of the Short-horns, 

 and in such result merited the appellation of benefactors. 



