188 



fanciers aspired to. I have seen perfect birds, as they are called, where a queer or low 

 standard is taken ; but the fact is, the birds and the standards put together was worth 

 nothing, should the young fancier progress in tbe 42 years I have given him, on the five 

 properties, the Almond Tumbler will be a " wonder " to behold, I stated I thought I 

 had seen as good birds as ever was seen on the five properties, I have seen three Almond 

 bred birds whose distance, as short faced birds, did not exceed the half inch, never saw 

 seven-sixteenth of an inch bird. I will not be hard vnth the gentlemen of the fancy, I 

 will give them 42 years simply only to reduce the distance from half-inch to seven-six- 

 teenth of an inch, after all it is only the one sixteenth part of an inch, you may think 

 I am very charitable, or what is that, " simply try it," I believe it will not be accom- 

 plished, you may say no doubt good fanciers, a century ago, might have believed the 

 birds they had, could not have been improved, I believe it may have been thought so. 



(Eaton.) — There are many things that astonishes many people, but what astonishes me 

 is, now that I have nearly brought my work to the end, I find my feelings strongly work- 

 ing upon me, and that I am becoming quite enthusiastically poetical. You may reason 

 as the Welsh farmer churchwarden did with the Clergyman of the Parish, when he gave 

 him a gentle hint that he never gave them a dash, shower, or flood of Latin or Greek 

 in his sermons ; the conscientious Clergyman replied, if he did, his congregation would 

 not understand it. The witty Welch Churchwarden replied, as they paid for the best, 

 they had a right to have it. You may reason with me on the terms, that as I have 

 charged you the best price, therefore you have a right to have a little poetry. Then, 

 without further beating about the bushes, I vvdll come to the point at once, as the Life- 

 Guardsmen said to the Chinamen. 



" Put a Tailor on horseback. 

 And he'll ride to the Old Gentleman dressed in black." 



It is impossible for me to say how the style, metre, or measure, pleases you, it scarely 

 pleases me ; I think I have seen poetry that runs smoother or more in rhyme, take 

 ** Pope " for instance. You may say, I have taken a step in the right path as regards 

 the measure, that if I go on as I have begun, by the time I get to the end it will be 

 good measure ; you may say, the second line is twice as long as the first, which some 

 would say was extra measure. As it is my first attempt at poetry, and as it scarcely 

 pleases me, I had better try my hand at it *' to-morrow," and bring it out in a separate 

 volume. At the same time, you may say, a work without poetry would be like a land- 

 scape without a stream, I will therefore give you the best I can cater or glean for you 

 on the subject. 



TAKEN FROM AN OLD WORK. 



" May honor be all our aim, 

 When ever we assemble together; 

 May the Birds that we breed increase fame, 

 Among united Friends of the Feather. 

 Among Friends of the Feather, being already known. 

 The Almonds the Birds we propose to be shown. 

 With your round and broad heads, quick stops and pearl eyes. 

 If all other properties must take the prize. 

 Bring your rich standard Cocks and best Almond Hens, 

 With Birds of first rate to furnish the pens, 

 If your judges in judgment be nothing deficient. 

 May gratify all if nothing clandestine. 

 So Friends of the Feather, support honor so bold, 

 May your fame be thus mounted with trophies of gold. 



I promised you at page 6 a Preface, (that there should be something new under the 

 Sun,) therefore I have placed it at the end of the Book ; my object being to bring you 

 sooner to the subject of the Work. Also some Extracts from my Work on the 

 '* Almond Tumbler," also my work on " Tame, Domesticated and Fancy Pigeons," and 

 other matter. 



