PASSIONAL ZOOLOGY* 
There are in the most iinhospitable countries of the globe, beings 
whose life is passed in saving that of man, and poetry which alone 
can write the history of beasts, as it alone can write that of men, 
— poetry has not yet dreamed of glorifying these generous mar- 
tyrs in its songs. And I hear disgusted poets every day tell me 
that there is nothing new under the Sun, and that all subjects are 
used up. What misfortune for the poor beasts, vvhat a misfortune 
for myself, especially, that my name is not Alphonse de Lamar- 
tine or Alfred de Musset. 
The setter dog is only a product of art like the reine claude 
plum or the double rose ; he is a dumb dog grafted on the run- 
ning dog, and which returns to the wild stock like the double 
rose, when the graft fails to take effect. I have known running 
dogs that amused themselves with pointing at the quail. The 
setter is, without dispute, the most magnificent of all creations of 
the human mind. It is here that man has truly created after 
God. The setter has in his favor elegance of form, vigor of mus- 
cle, and power of thought ; but he is not faithful, as has been too 
often asserted. He is too spiritual and too pretty for that. Some 
cynic will, perhaps, be tempted to see in this last line a treacherous 
allusion to the skill of the fair sex, so rich in pretty and spiritual 
individuals. But according to my way of seeing things, the allu- 
sion, instead of being an epigram, was a compliment! For every 
one was not created to be constant, and without inconstancy there 
would be too many unhappy ones. What is the love of woman, 
if not the sweetest reward of merit? Love; it is the supreme 
sanction of public favor ; it is the crown of flowers which woman 
places, with her white and rosy hand, on the brow of the con- 
queror. Woman needs to be proud of the man to whom she 
gives her love ; her interior preference needs to find a response in 
the admiration of the public. There are none who are cruel for 
heroes and poets. If the love of woman varies with the conquests 
of genius and courage, that is not infidelity, but only justice. The 
affection of the setter for his master is likewise measured by the 
merits of the latter. He likes to see his preferences confirmed by 
the sympathies of public opinion. He abandons to the disinher- 
ited poodle dog the glory of a love beyond the grave. The setter 
