RATIONAL PREJUDICE. 103 



SPANIELS THE SPRINGER. 



THE SPANIEL, or the Jinder and bringer, belongs to a species of great antiquity^ 

 finders having been used in the most ancient hunting and coursing, of which 

 History has given us any account. The term spaniel has been supposed to be de- 

 rived from Spain, thence the assumption that, the breed itself was also derived 

 from that Country ; a conjecture indeed rendered very probable, from the number 

 and excellence of these animals immemorially there bred. From whatever Coun- 

 try they may have been originally obtained, there is no doubt that they were 

 imported very early into this, Spaniels or finders being named in all the ancient 

 Field Sports; hunting, coursing, shooting, netting and falconry. 



Mr. Daniel, in his Rural Sports, an admirable Work, which will go down with 

 increased reputation to posterity, makes the following remarks on the general qua- 

 lities of our British Dogs. " The different and inherent qualities of our Dogs, 

 are not to be matched in other Nations ; those in Europe do justice to their 

 superiority, adopting our terms and names, and thankfully receiving them as choice 

 presents. Remarkable however it is, that almost every kind of British dog, dege- 

 nerates in foreign climates, nor is it possible by any art whatever to prevent it." 



Now, we really think that, the respectable and experienced author has in this 

 instance, not at all degenerated from the true British character, which we ought 

 not to deny, since it is apparent to all the rest of the world, is and ever has been, 

 in a considerable degree, inclined to the boastful. The current story of the dege- 

 neration of our valuable animals, in all other countries, as far as our experience 

 and analogies will reach, we feel much inclined to attribute to the old source, good 

 old English prejudice. In good truth, we have been obliged to foreign Countries 

 for almost every thing valuable which we possess, and more especially our Dogs 

 and Horses. That we have improved them indeed, is a legitimate boast, and that 

 our management of them is greatly superior to that of all other nations in the 

 world. On this account, they may well be acceptable presents and purchases, upon 

 the Continent ; where, if they degenerate, it is by reason of wretched and 

 defective management, and a want of that kind of food, and peculiar method of 

 feeding, to which they have been bred. On a change of Masters indeed, they are 

 equally apt to degenerate, for the same causes, in their own country. The little 

 sporting there is upon the Continent, is of a character so essentially different to 

 ours, that the degeneracy of English Dogs under it, is at no rate, matter of wonder. 

 We had ample information, mapy years ago, of the vast numbers of fine English 

 Horses which degenerated in France, in other words, were annually murdered by 



