4:56 THE PHILOSOPHY 



exerted. Three fhepherds dogs are faid to be a match for a 

 bear, and four for a lion. 



Every perfon knows the docility and fagacity of fuch dogs 

 as are employed in condu6ling blind mendicants. Johannes 

 Faber, as quoted by Mr. Ray, informs us, that he knew a 

 blind beggar who was led through the ftreets of Rome by a 

 middle fized dog. This dog, befide leading his mailer in 

 fuch a manner as to protect him from all danger, learned to 

 diftinguifh not only the ftreets, but the houfes where his 

 mafter was accuftomed to receive alms twice or thrice a-weekc 

 Whenever the animal came to any of thefe flreets, with 

 which he was well acquainted, he would not leave it till a 

 call had been made at every houfe where his mafter was 

 ufually fuccefsful in his petitions. When the beggar began 

 to aflc alms, the dog, being wearied, lay down to reft j but 

 the mafter was no foonfer ferved or refufed, than the dog 

 rofe fpontaneoufly, and, without either order or fign, pro- 

 ceeded to the other houfes where the beggar generally re- 

 ceived fome gratuity. I obferved, fays he, not without plea- 

 fure and furprife, that, when a halfpenny was thrown from a 

 window, fuch was the fagacity and attention of this dog, that 

 he went about in queft of it, lifted it from the ground with 

 his mouth, and put it into his mafter's hat. Even when 

 bread was thrown down, the animal would not tafte it, un- 

 lefs he received a portion of it from the hand of his mafter. 

 Without any other inftru£lion than imitation, a maftiff', 

 when accidentally fhut out from a houfe which his mafter 

 frequented, uniformly rung the bell for admittance. Dogs 

 can be taught to go to market with money, to repair to a 

 known butcher, and to carry home the meat in fafety. 

 They can be taught to dance to mufic, and to fearch for and 

 find any thing that is loft*. 



• For thefe, and many other inftances of the fagacity and docility of the dog, 

 ilie reader may confult Synopfis <^adrupedum a Joanne Raio, p 6. &c. 



