188 THE PORTRAIT GALLERY 
A MASTER OF THE ART OF ARTS 
74. On the 21st of June, 1775, there was born at Aydon Castle, 
Northumberland, the genius who was to dominate Shorthorn 
breeding for the century to follow. THomas Bates made the 
most distinct contribution to the art of animal breeding that oc- 
curred during the nineteenth century, since he demonstrated with 
unfaltering step the value and method of pedigree matings. In 
1800 he leased the extensive acreage of Halton Castle for'a period 
of twenty-one years, and there founded the family that swept on- 
ward to the first climax in Shorthorn breeding, the New York 
Mills Sale of 1873. His early acquaintance with the breed was 
gained at Darlington Fair on market Mondays. Here he dwelt 
with keen hand and shrewd eye on the products of the “divinities 
of old Durham,” and seasoned that keenness of judgment and 
irrevocableness of decision that blazoned his way through the 
difficulties of the coming five decades. 
On May 1, 1800 he entered into control of the Halton Castle 
acreage but although he had acquired his first Shorthorns two 
months previously the foundation stock on which he had set his 
heart was as yet unpurchased. A step in the desired direction 
came through his acquirement of CHARLES Cor.Linc’s Daisy Bull 
in the following autumn, but he was used only for steer breeding 
operations. A legacy in 1804 from a deceased aunt enabled him 
to embark in his coveted occupation. From it he purchased for 
100 guineas, the four-year-old Duchess by Daisy Bull. She de- 
scended purely from CoLLinc’s two famous bulls, Favorite and 
Hubback, and had ancestry only of the animals that BaTEs ad- 
mired. He had numerous vicissitudes, however, and was unable 
to found the family he desired until at the Ketton dispersion in 
1810 he secured her granddaughter by the 1000 guinea bull 
Comet. The cow herself was pronounced “shabby” by the ring- 
side, and loud were the taunts that Mr. Bates received, but he had 
achieved his desire and with characteristic courage announced 
