212 On Tunis Sheep. 



succeeding him, held the sheep in proper estimation ; 

 though every eudeavour was made to impress it upon 

 them. The lambs were sold, year after year, to the 

 butchers ; at the prices, or nearly so, given for those 

 bred from common sheep. It is only very lately that 

 the present tenant has discovered their value, by the 

 demand for them ; which is now much greater than can 

 be supplied. This demand is created by the experience 

 of those who have been convinced, by their own obser- 

 vation, of their superior excellence. My flock is so 

 reduced, that, in a pecuniary point of view, this late 

 conviction of the value of this breed, is to me of very 

 little importance. My tenant is now taking some pains 

 to recover his lost time and opportunity. I am happy 

 to know, that others have been more careful to 

 preserve this highly valuable race. I mention these, and 

 other, circumstances, to account for these sheep not be- 

 mg very extensively known and estimated, for a length 

 of time. 



My endeavours at getting the sheep into credit, were, 

 for a long time, very unpromising. I had insensibility 

 as well as prejudice to combat ; nor do I believe 

 them yet entirely overcome. The trouble I now give to 

 the society, by a long, though just, detail of the character 

 and qualities of these valuable sheep, is my last effort 

 to remove and conquer what remains of this insensibility 

 and prejudice. Experience in the affairs of the world 

 too often shews, that whatever intrinsic merit a saleable 

 article may possess ; the p?'ice in the market is the crite- 

 rion by which its value is generally estimated. It is not 

 unhkely that my object of spreading this breed of sheep, 

 and inducing care and attention to them, would have 



