THE DOG. 45 



Different in every thing but that general appearance 

 which serves to distinguish the species, and keep this 

 animal distinct from all others. It is this peculiar 

 conformation, and power of producing an animal that 

 can re-produce, which marks the kind, and approxi- 

 mate forms that at first sight appear heterogeneous, 

 and no way adapted for conjunction. 



From these considerations, therefore, we may at 

 once pronounce all dogs to be of one kind ; but which 

 of them is the original of all the rest, is not easy to 

 determine. 



The celebrated Buffon supposes the Shepherd's 

 Dog to have been the original stem, whence have 

 sprung the present numerous branches. Goldsmith 

 has adopted the same opinion. This is that dog with 

 long coarse hair, pricked ears, and a long nose ; 

 which is common enough among us, and receives his 

 name from being principally employed in guarding 

 and attending sheep. This indeed seems to be the 

 primitive animal of his kind ; and we shall be more 

 inclined to this opinion, if we attend to the different 

 characters which climate produces on this animal, and 

 the different races of dogs which are propagated in 

 every country: and in the first place, if we examine 

 those countries which are still savage, or but half-ci- 

 vilised, where it is most probable the dog, like his 

 master, has received but few impressions from art, we 

 shall find the shepherd's dog, or one much resem- 

 bling him, still prevailing amongst them. The dogs 

 that have run wild in America and in Congo, ap- 



