374 



THE OX. 



track. Amidst many disappointments, he never despaired of 

 his ultimate purpose, but bore up against ridicule, neglect, 

 and predictions of failure, till the end. He was at one time 

 involved in great pecuniary difficulties, but at length he suc- 

 ceeded in all his plans, and left a competent fortune to his 

 successors. Even after he had succeeded in perfecting his 

 stock, he kept all kinds of animals in his park, and was con- 

 stantly engaged in his favourite experiments. He died, 

 universally regarded as the most successful breeder that this 

 country had produced, in his 70th year. 



Much fruitless inquiry has arisen regarding the precise 

 course followed by Bakewell in forming his breed of Long- 

 horns. The opinion, seemingly founded on the best autho- 

 rities, is, that he obtained some of his first cows from Mr 

 Webster of Canley, but that he likewise selected elsewhere 

 the best animals, male and female, that he could obtain. He 

 is said to have purchased, amongst others, a very fine cow 

 from Sir William Gordon of Garrington, near Loughborough, 

 and from her to have had a fine bull, which he called Two- 

 penny, because a person had observed of him that he was 

 not worth twopence. This bull became the most celebrated 

 of the early stock of Bakewell, and is constantly referred to 

 in the pedigrees of the improved Long-horns. It must be 

 observed, however, that other accounts are given of the de- 

 scent of Twopenny; and that much uncertainty necessarily 

 exists in everything that relates to the origin of the Dishley 

 stock, since this was precisely the point of practice which 

 Bakewell himself desired to involve in mystery. 



Mr Bakewell adopted the practice of breeding from ani- 

 mals without relation to their affinities in blood, in a degree 

 which had perhaps never before been attempted. He pro- 

 bably adopted this system from the very commencement of 

 his experiments, and ultimately confined himself entirely to 

 his own herd ; one exception only being recorded, when, at 

 a late period, he bought a cow from Mr Harris, a descendant, 

 however, from the Dishley stock. The effect was, that he 



