ANIMAL REPUTATION. fc9 



' brutal nature ' ' is mainly attributable to the savage human 

 beings with whom he associates,' says Walsh, and no doubt 

 quite correctly. This sort of obstinacy and ferocity is con- 

 sidered among the animal's greatest virtues. 



Among dogs there is none in such evil odour as the 

 bull-dog, which is popularly supposed to be ' utterly in- 

 capable of anything but ferocity and combat ' an incarna- 

 tion of stupidity, of want of natural affection, of quarrel- 

 someness or irritability, of a bloodthirstiness rivalling that 

 of the lion, tiger, hysena, or wolf. But Webb, Jesse, Walsh, 

 Elaine, and other writers show how unfounded is such 

 a belief. Under favourable circumstances he becomes, or 

 may become, intelligent, faithful, companionable, good-tem- 

 pered ; he may even be taught tricks or feats like those 

 performed by the poodle or other dogs ; he may show attach- 

 ment to his master. Jesse even describes one that died of 

 grief on being transferred to another owner. He has saved 

 human life, for instance, by carrying a rope ashore from a 

 shipwrecked vessel, though he is not a water dog, and might 

 be excused for refusing to take to water at all even when 

 smooth and quiet. He is, moreover, an ' excellent watch, 

 and as a guard unequalled,' according to Walsh. Fearless- 

 ness and fortitude are also good qualities that cannot be 

 denied to him. 



As in man himself, there may be a singular co-existence 

 of good and bad qualities. Thus we are told of a bull-dog 

 so ferocious as to bite its own mistress, that yet tended 

 gently a wounded kitten deserted by its own mother (Wood) . 



When we speak of one man ' dogging ' another's steps, 

 we do not refer generally, or at all, to mere faithful and 

 close following by a person who would prove a defender 

 or protector in case of need, but to some spy or assassin 

 some follower whose purpose is nefarious or dishonourable. 

 Nor, when we say that one man ' hounds ' on another to 

 this or that action, do we allude to the legitimate barking 

 of or chasing at the sheep by the collie, or at or of the hare 

 by the harrier. We use the term, as we do the others, in a 

 bad sense. The object of the c hounding ' in man is usually 

 revenge or crime. 



