396 THE SHEEP DOG. 



purifies the atmosphere, and is a guarantee for the continu- 

 ance of health; whereas if we had no electrical phenomenon, 

 the air would become very impure, and epidemics or other 

 diseases engendered by the impurity, would destroy vastly 

 more lives than . the lightning does. But, in the destruction 

 of sheep by dogs, there is no benefit or advantage of any 

 kind arising to anybody. 



"Finally, are dogs of as much benefit [to the State in the 

 aggregate as they cost? What this cost is I have endeavored 

 to show, and if any person will show me that they are worth 

 what they cost, I will be much obliged to him for his pains. 



" It is no argument to say that the food would have been 

 lost at all events — and that it costs nothing to keep a dog ; 

 a hog will eat all the refuse fi-om the kitchen, and drink the 

 swill besides, and pays for its keeping in good fat pork and 

 lard, or if taken- to market commands cash. In fact I know 

 several instances where poor men grow rich by keeping hogs, 

 and other instances where men, comparatively well off, grew 

 poorer by keeping dogs." 



And now per contra ! 



The Sheep Dog. — Buffon thus eloquently describes the 

 sheep-dog, and compares his sagacity and value to man, with 

 other races : — " This animal, faithful to man, will always 

 preserve a portion of his empire and a degree of superiority 

 over other beings. He reigns at the head of his flock, and 

 makes himself better understood than the voice of the shepherd. 

 Safety, order and discipline are the fruits of his vigilance 

 and instinct. They are a people submitted to his management, 

 whom he conducts and protects, and against whom he never 

 applies force but for the preservation of good order. * * 

 If we consider that this animal, notwithstanding his ugliness, 

 and his wild and melancholy look, is superior in instinct to all 

 others ; that he has a decided character in which education 

 has comparatively little share ; that he is the only animal 

 born perfectly trained for the service of others ; that, guided 

 by natural powers alone, he applies himself to the care of our 

 flocks, a duty which he executes with singular assiduity, 

 vigilance, and fidelity ; that he conducts them with an 

 admirable intelligence, which is apart and portion of himself; 

 that his sagacity astonishes at the same time that it gives 

 repose to his master, while it requires great time and trouble 

 to instruct other dogs for the purposes to which they are 

 destined ; if we reflect on these facts, we shall be confirmed 



