MR. ELLIS AND PHILOLOGY 229 



as he thought necessary, and then struck across 

 country for at least twenty miles, thus finding his 

 way to the home in which he was reared. Who 

 will therefore attempt to define where instinct ends 

 and reason begins ? Whilst writing of dogs and 

 sport, I am reminded of an epitaph which is worth 

 recording. It is against the north side of Harefield 

 Church. On the outside is a monument with a repre- 

 sentation in bas-relief of a gamekeeper and his dog, 

 put there by a Mr. Ashby in memory of a faithful 

 servant, Robert Morshead, who died in 1744 : 



In frost and snow, through hail and rain, 

 He scoured the woods and trudged the plain. 

 The steady pointer leads the way. 

 Stands to the scent and springs the prey. 

 The timorous birds from stubble rise. 

 With pinions stretch'd divide the skies ; 

 The scattered lead pursues the sight, 

 And death and thunder stop the flight. 

 His spaniel, of true English kind, 

 With gratitude inflames his mind. 

 This servant in an honest way, 

 In all his actions copied ' Tray.' 



Some few years since, whilst on my farm at 

 Aylesbury, I received a visit from Mr. Ellis, the 

 eminent philologist, who was desirous of testing, 

 by oral demonstration, the special dialects of 

 different parts of England. He brought some 

 letters of introduction with him, and after a very 

 interesting discussion on the peculiar pronunciation of 

 certain districts, we commenced an ordinary conver- 

 sation with the labourers while they were working on 

 the farm. This talk was with both old and young 



