172 THE SHEEP. 



new breed, were considerations urged by those who favoured 

 the system of crossing which had been resorted to ; and it 

 was contended, that, although the weight of individual fleeces 

 was diminished, the value of wool produced on the acre was 

 increased, from the greater number of animals that could be 

 maintained on the same space.* 



* A correspondence on this subject, in the year 1788, has been preserved, 

 between Mr Chaplin, a distinguished breeder of the Old Lincolns, and Mr 

 Bakewell of Dishley, which is curious, as shewing the angry feelings of the 

 time, and bringing before us, and in his own words, one so distinguished for 

 what he has done, and so little known by any thing he has written, Mr Bake- 

 well. It had been proposed, it seems, that a show of rams should take place at 

 Partney, for the purpose of comparing together the old and new breeds. Mr 

 Bakewell had declined allowing his rams to be seen until they were sorted, as 

 it is termed, but appears to have thought that there would be no great harm 

 in taking a peep at his rival's, even in their state of disorder. Mr Chaplin re- 

 senting the proceeding, thus addresses his wily opponent : " The extraordinary 

 art made use of in the exhibition of your stock at Dishley, points out, in the 

 strongest manner, the impropriety of shewing it in a disorderly state ; and after 

 my refusal on the 21st instant to let you see my sheep before they were collected 

 and sorted at home, I did not expect to hear of your meanly sneaking into my 

 pastures at Wrangle, on the 24th, with two other people, driving my sheep 

 into the fold, and examining them. Such unwarrantable conduct can only be 

 accounted for by your great anxiety about the show of rams at Partney, near 

 Spilsby, on the 18th of September, which was proposed for the purpose of mak- 

 ing the comparison between those bred from your sheep and the original breed 

 of the county. The small sheep that have no cross of the Durham kind, which 

 you have had the address to impose upon the world, without size, without 

 length, and without wool, I have always held to be unprofitable animals ; but 

 that I may not appear to be too tenacious of my own opinion, I hope you will 

 produce them at Partney, on the 18th September next, to meet the Lincoln- 

 shire sheep, where there will be many better judges than ourselves to decide on 

 their merits." 



The reply is characteristic. " On my return home on Tuesday last, I saw 

 your letter addressed to me of the 26th of August, in the Liecester paper of 

 the 6th instant, in which you are pleased to notice the extraordinary art made 

 use of in the exhibition of the stock at Dishley ; which you have seen at several 

 different times. Surely you cannot say you have observed any unfair practices, 

 or that you was ever denied seeing what was not engaged for the season, on 

 account of their not being sorted, or being in a disorderly state. At Ilorncastle, 

 on Thursday the 21st of August, I asked you if I might see your rams near 

 Saltfleet. You did not say I should not, but that they were not sorted, and that 

 when they were you would be glad to see me at Tathwell. I did not go to 

 Saltfleet, but into the marshes, near Skegness ; and from thence, on the Satur- 

 day afternoon following, to Wrangle ; the next day, Sunday the 24th, to Free- 

 ston, where 1 met with two graziers, with whom 1 had not any acquaintance 

 till that day. They proposed on Monday to go to Skegness, and asked me if I 



