1 68 MEMOIR OF THOMAS BEWICK. 



the fools ; and, if we take only a slight glance at 

 individual misery, it will be seen that most of it is 

 inflicted by one man upon another : 



" Man's inhumanity to Man, 

 Makes countless thousands mourn." 



Could this be remedied, what a beautiful world 

 would this appear to thousands, instead of their 

 being obliged to view it through the medium of 

 an almost perpetual cheerless gloom. 



I have often amused myself in considering the 

 character of the canine species, and of comparing 

 it, and its varieties, with those of the untutored 

 part of mankind ; and it is curious and interesting 

 to observe the similarity between them. To his 

 master the dog is an uncommonly submissive, 

 obedient, and faithful servant, and seems to look 

 upon him as if he were an angel ; and his sagacity 

 and his courage are equally conspicuous ; and, in 

 defence of his master, he will suffer death. But 

 to his own species he is ill-behaved, selfish, cruel, 

 and unjust; he only associates with his fellows 

 for the purpose of packing together to destroy 

 other animals, which cannot be effected otherwise. 

 He will sometimes, indeed, let a supplicating dog, 

 into which he has inspired terror, sneak off; and 

 I have often watched to see the wary, circumspect 

 plan that a strange dog adopts on his being 

 obliged to pass through a village, or through 

 amongst those of his equally ill-behaved brethren, 

 the butchers' dogs in a town. It is curious to see 

 the stranger, upon these occasions, view his dan- 

 ger, and then affect lameness, and go "hirpling" 

 through amongst them unmolested. I knew their 

 instinct was surprising, but some of their reason- 



