The fhepherd's dog Mr Buffon considers as the parent-stock from which all the different varieties have been produced, by a change of climate, education, food, and other circumstances. "This animal (he

66

observes) still continues pretty nearly in its original state among the poor in temperate climates. "Being transported into colder regions, he becomes "smaller, as among the Laplanders; but becomes more perfect in Iceland, Rufsia, and Siberia, "where the climate is lefs rigorous, and the people 66 more civilized.”. -But if there is a difference in

the dogs of these countries, it can scarcely be owing to the cause afsigned; as the climate of Lapland is as mild as that of a great part of Siberia, and the inhabitants perhaps more civilized.

46

"The fhepherd's dog, (he farther observes), if "transported to temperate climates, and among people entirely civilized, such as England, France, 66 or Germany, becomes divested of his savage air, "his pricked ears, his long thick hair, and from the "influence of climate and education will become a “bull-dog, a mastiff, a beagle, or a hound."-But if this were the case, whence should it happen that we in Britain have the race of shepherd's dogs in as great perfection as any where else, and the mastiff, bull-dog, hound, &c. in equal perfection; and can preserve the breeds of each of these kinds as distinct from one another, as if they had been bred in the most distant corners of the earth?

"The hound, the terrie, and small-spotted set. "ting-dog, he considers as of the same family; and "afserts, that they are often all produced at the VOL. Xvii.

same litter, although the bitch fhould have been covered with only one kind of dog."I ask the reader, if ever he knew a single instance where this happened?

"The hound, (he farther observes), if transport"ed into Spain or Barbary, where the hair of all "animals becomes soft and long, will be converted

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into the land and water spaniel; and when these "are again brought back to Britain," instead of returning to their former state of a hound," they become the small fhagged dog."- -But who does not know, that spaniels continue to be bred in Britain for ages without degenerating in the smallest degree?

We have seen above, that the mastiff, bull-dog, beagle, and hound, to which may be added the terrier and small setting-dog, are all produced in Britain from the fhepherd's dog transported from cold climates" But this mastiff dog, (he observes), "when carried to the north," deserts his original family, and becomes the large Danish dog ;—and when transported to the south, becomes a greyhound. The same transported into Ireland, the Ukrain, Tartary, Epirus, and Albania, becomes "the great wolf-dog, known by the name of the Irish dog, which is the largest of all dogs." Thus he makes the fhepherd's dog, when transported from the north to Britain, become a mastiff; and that again, when remanded back to the north, instead of returning to its original state of a fhepherd's dog, becomes a large Danish dog;-which again brought back to Britain, its original country, instead of a

66

mastiff, becomes a greyhound; which by another change of climate, scarce perceptible, is metamorphosed into the large Irish dog. These surprising transformations might figure very well in Ovid, but do not tally quite so well with the character of a philosophic natural historian.

-

"The bull-dog, (he farther goes on), when trans66 ported into Denmark, becomes the little Danish dog; and this little Danish dog, sent into warm climates, becomes the Turkish dog without hair."

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In the last paragraph, we saw the mastiff in a northern climate encrease in size, and become the large Danish dog-here his brother the bull dog, by a like change of place, dwindles into the small Danish dog. How it should happen, that the same change of climate should produce changes so diametrically opposite, remains to be explained.- When this little Danish dog, however is sent back to milder climates again, he does not recover his former size, or grow larger, like the mastiff; but by another metamorphosis, altogether as extraordinary, becomes the naked Turkish dog.. -The hound, the full brother of this mastiff, we saw on a former occasion, when carried to the warm coast of Barbary, got a coat of longer hair, and became a spaniel; this one loses his hair entirely.

Can any thing be more contrary to reason, experience, and facts that every man has before his eyes every day in his life, than the above hypo

thesis !

It is humiliating for the pride of man, who plumes himself on the superiority of reason to re

mark this. And it is mortifying for modern philosophy which affects to be founded on experience and accurate observation of facts alone, to point out such things but truth ought in all cases to be adhered to.

:

To be continued.

IVAN CZAROWITZ,

OR THE ROSE WITHOUT PRICKLES, THAT STINGS NOT,

A TALE.

مجبو

Brown

WRITTEN BY HER IMPERIAL MAJESTY.

Continued from p. 87, and concluded

〃

Not far from this they spied the house of a peasant, surrounded by several acres of well cultivated ground, on which were growing several kinds of corn, as rye, oats, barley, buck wheat, &c. Some of this corn was ripening, and some only springing up. A little farther they saw a meadow on which horses, cows, and sheep were grazing. They found the landlord with a watering pan in his hand, with which he was watering the cucumbers and cabbages set by his wife. The children were employed in clearing away the useless weeds from among the garden stuffs. Rafsudok addrefsed them: "God be with you good people!" They answered, "thank you young gentlemen; 'and they made a distant bow to the Czarowitz as to a stranger; but in a friendly manner they addressed Rafsudock: Be so kind as to go in

to our dwelling your mother the Sultana loves us, visits us, and does not neglect us.' Rafsudok consented and with Ivan went into the yard. In the middle of the yard there stood an old and lofty oak, under which was a broad and clean scraped bench, with a table before it. The landlady and her daughter-inlaw spread a table cloth, and placed on the table a bowl of butter milk, and another with poached eggs : they set down also a difh of hot pancakes, soft boiled eggs, and in the middle a good bacon ham. They brought brown bread, and set down to every one a can of sweet milk; and by way of desert, presented fresh cucumbers, and cranberries, † with honey. The landlord prefsed them to eat. The travellers, who were hungry, found every thing excellent, and during supper talked with the landlord and landlady, who told them how healthily, happily, and quietly they lived, and in all abundance suitable to their condition; passing their time in country work, and oyercoming every want and difficulty by industry. After supper they spread on the same bench mats, and Rafsudok and Ivan put their cloaks on the mats. The landlady gave to each a pillow with a clean pillow-slip; so they lay down, and being tired they soon fell asleep.

*May not this have been meant as a disguised sketch of the august painter herself, who is said to be very condescending and kind to such of her subjects as are industrious, particularly in the line of agriculture.

The berries named is kluickva, but as I dont know the English name I have substituted cranberries, brusnika.