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with him. It is no unusual thing in France for ladies to receive morning visits from gentlemen in bed; neither was the ambassador at all surprized when he found himself alone in the chamber of one of the princesses of the blood-royal; she spoke of the money she had borrowed with some concern, as a matter she was very unwilling should take air; but his lordship interrupted her, by saying, "it was impossible it should, for he had already forgot it himself, and should never have recollected it again, had not her highness put his memory to the rack by refreshing it.

Her highness made no reply, but entered into a discourse on politics, in which she discovered to him the project that the court of Sweden was then meditating, in concert with France, for a descent upon England and Scotland, in favour of the house of Stewart, by which timely discovery the whole scheme was defeated, and his excellency acquired the reputation of being an able and active minister.

There is a passage in Bede, highly commending the piety and learning of the Irish in that age; but, he overthrows all his praise in his termination of their character, in which he seems to imply, that all this piety and learning will be of no avail, because they keep their Easter at a wrong time of the year.

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Epitome of Natural History.

No. III.

THE DOG.

S much may very justly be expected from us on the varied species of the canine race, it will be necessary to occupy a portion of our work in two or three succeeding numbers, on this particular subject.

The distinctive characters of this genus of the quadruped race are, six cutting teeth, and two canine, in each jaw; a long visage, five toes be fore, and four behind; this last characteristic is invariable in the wild species, such as the wolf, &c. in the common dogs, oft times there are five toes on each, foot. The first species, with its varieties, contains all those animals which, in common conversation, we distinguish by the name of dogs. This species Mr, Pennant has marked with

the well-merited epithet faithful. But before we proceed further, we shall lay before our readers an illustration of the annexed engraving on wood, of the

GREY-HOUND,

Which is, by far, the swiftest of all dogs, and pursues his game by the sight, not by the scent. Formerly it was penal by the law of the land for any person, below the degree of a gentleman, to keep an animal of this kind. There are several varieties, such as the Italian greyhound, the Oriental greyhound, &c.

THE FAITHFUL DOG.

LINNUS, that great naturalist, and accurate observer, was the first who remarked that the tail of this animal bends towards the left; a character common to the whole species, in all its varieties.

It is to this species we are to apply all the fine things that have ever been said or written about dogs. As their history has been delineated with all that fidelity, precision, and elegant conciseness which render the writings of Linnæus an inestimable treasure, we shall avail ourselves of his description." The dog, the most faithful of animals, the companion of mankind, fawns at the approach of his master, and will not suffer any one to strike him; runs before him in a journey, passing frequently backward and forward over the same ground. On coming to cross-ways, he stops and looks back; is very docile; will find out what has been dropt; is watchful by night; announces the coming of strangers, and guards any goods committed to his charge: he drives the cattle home from the field; keeps herds and flocks within bounds, and protects them from wild beasts. By virtue of his acute sense of sinelling, he points out A az

the game to the sportsman, and brings the Birds that are shot to his master. At Brussels, and in Holland, he draws little carts to the herb market: in Siberia, he draws a sledge, with his master in it, or one loaded with provisions; he will turn a spit; sits up, and begs at table; when he has committed a theft, he slinks away with his tail between his legs; eats enviously with oblique eyes; strives to be master among his fellows at home; is an enemy to beggars, and attacks strangers without provocation: he is fond of licking wounds, assuages the pain of the gout, and of cancerous ulcers; howls at certain notes in music, and often urines on hearing them: he bites at a stone flung at him; is sick at the approach of bad weather; gives himself a vomit, by eating grass; is afflicted with tape worm; spreads his madness; grows deaf and blind with age: he eats flesh, carrion and farinaceous vegetables, but not greens; drinks by lapping, is fond of rolling on carrion, sheep's dung, &c.; his scent is exquisite : he goes obliquely, foams and hangs out his tongue when hot, but scarcely ever sweats; about to lie down, he often goes round; his sleep is attended with a quick sense of hearing; and during sleep he frequently dreams. The female goes sixty-three days with young, brings forth from four to ten; the males like the dog, the females like herself *; the largest and tallest are more prolific than the smaller kinds: though driven as unclean from the houses of the Mahometans, yet the same peo

*The similarity of the offspring to the male or female according to their sex, rests solely on the authority of Linnæus; but if fact and observation are against it, even that great name will not support the opinion.

ple establish hospitals for dogs, and allow them a daily portion of food.”

No less just and elegant, though more diffuse, is the following extract from Buffon.

"The dog, independent of the beauty of his figure, his strength, vivacity, and nimbleness, possesses every internal excellence which in a brute can attract the regard of man. A passionate, and even a ferocious and sanguinary temper, renders the wild dog formidable to all animals; but in the domestic dog, these hostile dispositions vanish, and are succeeded by the softer sentiments of attachment, and the desire of pleasing; he runs with cheerfulness and alacrity to his master's foot, where he lays down his courage, his strength, and his talents: he attends for orders, which he is always solicitous to execute: he consults, he interrogates, he supplicates his master; a single glance of the eye is sufficient, for he knows the external signs of our intentions and wishes: his feelings are extremely delicate, and he has more fidelity and steadiness in his affections than man: he is not corrupted by ambition, rarely by interested views, or by a desire of revenge; and he has no fear but that of displeasing: he is all zeal, ardour, and obedience; more apt to recall benefits than outrages: he is not discouraged by blows or bad treatment, but calmly suffers, and soon forgets them; or he remembers them only to increase his attachment: instead of flying, or discovering marks of resentment, he exposes himself to torture, and licks the hand from which he received the blow; to the cruelty of his master, he only opposes complaint, patience, and submission: surely the master must be void of humanity that can abuse such a servant. Equally furious against thieves as against rapacious

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