SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT MY DOG. 229 



understand more of our words than any other animal; 

 and frequently shows his intelligence and appreciation 

 in ways that reveal unmistakably real affection and 

 character. He has more of humanity to him than any 

 other animal. He protects us and watches over us at 

 night; saves us when in danger; cries and whines with 

 us in sympathy when in pain ; and plays with us in mad 

 joy when we condescend to notice and to laugh with 

 him. Yes, the dog is a little man ! 



The dog has found an enduring place in our liter- 

 ature in the poetry of Shakespeare and Scott and Mrs. 

 Browning, and in the beautiful and well-known story, 

 and the most exquisite bit of pathos in all English 

 literature, too, "Rab and His Friends," by Dr. John 

 Brown. There have been a number of books written 

 about the dog. Edward Jesse's "Anecdotes of Dogs" 

 is a very interesting compilation bearing on the intelli- 

 gence and affection of these animals. There lately also 

 appeared an anthology entitled "Praise of the Dog," 

 by Ethel E. Bicknell. More recently, his heroism and 

 prowess have again been celebrated in "Bob, Son of 

 Battle," by Mr. Alfred Ollivant, "The Call of the 

 Wild," by Mr. Jack London, and "The Bar Sinister," 

 by Mr. Richard Harding Davis. There are two other 

 books worth mentioning — "Diomed: The Life, Trav- 

 els, and Adventures of a Dog," by Mr. J. S. Wise, 

 and Mrs. Sarah Knowles Bolton's volume upon "Our 

 Devoted Friend the Dog." Of the many magazine 

 articles relating to the dog I recollect especially Mr. 

 John Muir's account of his adventures among the gla- 

 ciers with Stickeen, and Mark Twain's protest against 

 the prevalent vivisection entitled "A Dog's Tale." 



