18 
Robert Bakewell. 
means which had been at first adopted for the improvement 
of large sheep did not preserve them in that improved 
state.” 
The statement immediately following is worthy of notice : 
“ But at this juncture Mr. Bakewell, with his usual ability, made 
a judicious cross, and thereby produced a very great amendment. 
At his death he left two distinct characters of sheep, which 
breeds have been continued with various degrees of success by 
many very eminent agriculturists until the present day. The 
former sheep were called the Dishley, or New Leicester. But 
since the latter improvement took place, which has been desig- 
nated the Improved, or New Leicester, the former are commonly 
called the Old Leicester.” Mr. Wright proceeds to say that it 
is uncertain how that last improvement was effected, “ as the 
secrecy with which every experiment was conducted by that 
able man is notorious.” It scarcely could be otherwise. Mr. 
Bakewell was one of those men who would learn as long as he 
lived. That was the secret — the secret of his ability. Bom at 
a time of great ignorance upon the subjects to which he early 
devoted his attention, he spent his professional life mainly in 
feeling his way out of darkness into light. Many of his experi- 
ments, in all probability, were neither expected nor intended by 
him to give improved results. If they answered certain ques- 
tions in his own mind, they satisfied him ; they gave him what 
he sought — an item of knowledge required. Step by step he 
must have toiled to gain the mastery of his art. 
To the foregoing descriptions of the Dishley sheep we must 
just add Young’s opinion and statement that better-made animals 
than Mr. Bakewell’s rams and ewes could not be seen — bodies 
true barrels, backs bi’oad, legs not more than 6 inches long, and 
fat on ribs just within the forelegs (where common sheep are 
never examined, because they carry none there), indicating the 
kindly tendency of the Dishley breed to fatten. This may 
be instructively compared with the following measurements 
recorded by Young: — 
I have this day measured Mr. Bakewell's three years old ram, and find 
him as follows : — 
His girt 
His height ....... 
His collar broad at ear tips 
Broad over his shoulders .... 
Ditto over his ribs 
Ditto over his hips 
Dishley, 17th March 1770. 
feet inches 
5 10 
2 5 
1 4 
1 11 * 
1 104 
1 9* 
H. Sandford. 
