122 The Dog Book 
that his (Laverack’s) setters have been of great service to sportsmen in 
giving pace and style when crossed with other breeds.” 
Those entitled by experience to enter into any controversy on the 
subject of Mr. Laverack’s and Mr. Llewellyn’s setters know only too well 
that the authority thus quoted cannot be gainsaid in any facts, and that 
the arguments with which he leads up to his opinions are exceedingly hard 
to controvert. That then was the position of the Llewellyns in England at 
the very time they were being forced upon the American market by a very 
much interested coterie intent on striking the financial iron while they were 
keeping it hot. 
Even in Shaw’s “Book of the Dog,” published in 1880, there is no 
intimation that Mr. Llewellyn had “set the Thames on fire” with his world 
beaters, and the only references to that gentleman are: “Mr. R. LI. Purcell- 
Llewellyn is one of our greatest Laverack breeders of the day, and spares 
no trouble or expense in perfecting his strain. . . . Count Wind’em, 
Countess Bear and Countess Moll are the bright particular stars of Mr. 
Llewellyn’s kennel, and the first named is a great, big, useful-looking dog.” 
We do not advance the latter quotations as in any way conclusive, for it is 
very evident that the setter article in that book was a piece of patch work, 
written by various persons, but that there is no mention of what was at 
that time to Americans the most wonderful combination of ability and 
good looks proves that they were exciting very little attention in England 
compared with what the agitation in the American press had accomplished 
in this country. 
Earty ImportaTIONsS oF LAVERACKS 
The success of the Laveracks in England, coupled with the interest 
engendered here by the publication of Mr. Laverack’s book, unavoidably 
inspired American progressive sportsmen with the wish to secure some of 
the much-to-be-desired breed, and when it was announced early in 1874 
that Mr. Laverack was offering for sale a brace of his dogs, he became 
the recipient of many inquiries, and of several offers to purchase them. 
Upon receipt of a communication accompanied by a draft for the amount 
asked, he shipped to New York the first pair of his dogs exported to this 
country, where they arrived in July of that year. These dogs were Pride 
of the Border, and Fairy, purchased by Mr. Charles H. Raymond, of Fox 
