

EARLY HISTORY OF THE DOG. 5 



these, and to prevent the possibility of this species of idolatry being esta- 

 blished, that the dog was afterwards regarded with utter abhorrence 

 among the Jews.* This feeling prevailed during the continuance of the 

 Israelites in Palestine. Even in the New Testament the Apostle warns 

 those to whom he wrote to " beware of dogs and evil-workers ;" b and it 

 is said in The Revelations that " without are dogs and sorcerers," &c. e 

 Dogs were, however, employed even by the Jews. Job says, " Now they 

 tl at are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have- 

 disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock." d Dogs were employed 

 either to guide the sheep or to protect them from wild beasts ; and some 

 prowled about the streets at night, contending with each other for the 

 olFal that was thrown away. 



To a certain degree this dislike of the dog continues to the present day ; 

 for, with few exceptions, the dog is seldom the chosen companion of the 

 Jaw, or even the inmate of his house. Nor was it originally confined to 

 Palestine. Wherever a knowledge of the Jewish religion spread, or any 

 of its traditions were believed, there arose an abhorrence of the dog. The 

 Mohammedans have always regarded him as an unclean animal, that 

 should never be cherished in any human habitation belonging to no par- 

 ticular owner, but protecting the street e and the district rather than the 

 house of a master. 



The Hindoos regard him likewise as unclean, and submit to various 

 purifications if they accidentally come in contact with him, believing that 

 every dog was animated by a wicked and malignant spirit condemned to 

 do penance in that form for crimes committed in a previous state of exist- 

 ence. If by chance a dog passed between a teacher and his pupil during 

 the period of instruction, it was supposed that the best lesson would be 

 completely poisoned, and it was deemed prudent to suspend the tuition for 

 at least a day and a night. Even in Egypt dogs are now as much avoided 

 as they were venerated. In every Mohammedan and Hindoo country the 

 most scurrilous epithet bestowed on a European or a Christian is " a 

 dog!"< 



This accounts for the singular fact that in the whole of the Jewish his- 

 tory there is not a single allusion to hunting with dogs. Mention is made 

 of nets and snares, but the dog seems to have been never used in the pur- 

 suit of game. 



In the early periods of the history of other countries this seems to have 

 been the case even where the dog was esteemed and valued, and had be- 

 come the companion, the friend, and the defender of man and his home. 

 So late as the second century of the Christian sera, the fair hunting of the 

 present day needed the eloquent defence of Arrian, who says that " there 

 is as much difference between a fair trial of speed in a good run, and en- 



a No dog was suffered to come within 

 tlie precincts of the Temple at Jerusalem, 

 E; : o> Kvves was a prevalent expression 

 among the Jews. Bryant's Mythology 

 vol. ii. p. 42. 



b Phil. iii. 2. 



c Rev. xxii. 15. 



d Job. xxx. 1. See also Isaiah Ivi. 10, 



1L. 



e Psalm lix. 6. 



f Carpenter's Scripture Natural His- 

 tory, p, 109. It is a remarkable fact that 



from this faithful animal, the companion 

 of man, and the guardian of his person 

 and property, should originate so many 

 terms of reproach as " dog," cur," 

 " hound," "puppy," "dog-cheap," " a 

 dog's trick," " dog-sick." * dog-weary," 

 " to lead the life of a dog," " to use like a 

 dog." All this probably originated in 

 the East, where the dog was held in ab- 

 horrence as the common scavenger of the 

 streets. 



