4 DOGS 



where the Old Horse Died,' which I repeat here, substituting 

 ' dog ' for ' horse,' as the^dog is the subject of ray theme : — 



There are men, both good and wise, who hold that in a future state '] 



Dumb creatures we have cherished here below 

 Shall give us joyous greeting when we pass the golden gate. 



Is it folly that I hope it may be so ? 

 For never man had friend 

 More enduring to the end. 

 Truer mate in ev'ry turn of time and tide. 

 Could I think we'd meet again 

 It would lighten half my i^in 

 At the place where the old dog (horse) died. 



Dogs are very dear things, and well repay any love and 

 attention bestowed on them. 



There is a very interesting article in the ' Stock-Keeper ' 

 of December 1891, giving an account how British monarchs 

 have ever been attached to dogs, beginning with Alfred 

 the Great, who when not engaged in the affairs of State 

 took pleasure in the company of his hounds. It states that 

 we owe to the period of the Conquest the introduction 

 of several beautiful varieties of the hound family. The 

 ' Stock-Keeper ' observes in the above number : — ' The 

 native British breeds no doubt improved by the admixture, 

 and whereas the modern staghound and foxhound may 

 show little trace of their distinguished descent, yet there 

 are others, such as the bloodhound, the harrier, the 

 Southern hound, and the otter hound, in which a cynolo- 

 gist can recognise their ancient lineage by the striking 

 likeness they still bear to the old French breeds, the St. 

 Huberts, the hounds of Artois, of AriSge, and of Bresse 

 and Nivernais.' 



King John was much attached to his kennel, and he 

 gave his son-in-law Llewellyn the faithful hound men- 

 tioned in the ballad of Beth Gelert — 



In sooth, he was a peerless hound, the gift of royal John. 



Henry VIII.'s dogs were famous in history, and a recru- 

 lation relating to them, made by him for the royal house- 

 hold at Windsor, runs as- follows : — 



