The Old Writers on Pigeons. 
13 
am lost in wonder and astonishment at it.” Near the end of his work, again, he makes the 
following quaint remark (which we may heartily commend in spite of its quaintness) : “ It will avail 
you nothing whether the author thinks little or much upon the subject, provided you do not think 
for yourself. If you have never thought before, and the perfections or imperfections of the fine 
properties of the Almond Tumbler cause you to begin thinking, the Fancy will be a blessing to you, 
for you cannot think hard or deeply on the Almond Tumbler without thinking on more important 
matters, which may lead to the salvation of your soul going on from that to a really religious 
exhortation of twelve lines, which — odd as it is in such a place — is quite seriously meant, and 
hence far above ridicule. Part of it we may add, perhaps. “ Should you,” he says, “ give up 
attending the house of God through your hobby for pigeons, give your pigeons up at once.” 
“ Happy is the man that forsakes his vices, and becomes an enthusiastic admirer of the Almond 
Tumbler!” is the extraordinary sentiment — borrowed, we believe, from Moore — which concludes 
the work of John Matthews Eaton. 
Mr. Wolstenholme also engraved for Eaton six life-size coloured portraits of pigeons. Most 
of these are grandly done, and some, such as the Carrier and Short-faced Tumbler, can hardly be 
improved upon as standards even now ; but the Pouter is again bad, and evidently neither Eaton 
nor Wolstenholme understood this variety at all. 
With Eaton the older writers on Pigeons may be said to conclude, and we come fairly into 
modern days. To speak of any recently-published works would be ungracious ; but we shall not 
be contradicted if we say that since Eaton little has been added of any practical value, all — even 
the most pretentious — being strangely silent just upon the very points concerning which a fancier 
most desires information ; namely, the matching and selection of birds for breeding the most 
perfect specimens. The writers seem all to have forgotten that even old Moore told us with very 
fair accuracy and minuteness what Pigeons ought to be, and that what is now chiefly required is 
to instruct fanciers in the details of producing them. It does not become us thus early to make too 
large promises ; but to supply this want will be the chief object of the following pages. 
SIGN OF “THE THREE riGEONS." 
