Gordon,"[69] that truly Christian lady, refers to some old pets of the
duke's and her own, which, on her becoming a widow, she took with her
from Gordon Castle to Huntly Lodge, a bullfinch, an immense Talbot
mastiff named Sall, and others. He adds--"To a stranger, the most
remarkable of the duke's old favourites was Kaiser, an Hungarian
wolf-dog, with a snow-white fleece, and most sheep-like aspect in the
distance, but at whose appearance out of doors, man, woman, and child
fled as from a wolf. The duchess called him 'The wolf in sheep's
clothing.' Her husband's tastes having brought her much into contact
with all sorts of dogs, she had learned to pat them confidently at their
first introduction, when a large space between their eyes betokened a
kindly temper. This open breadth of forehead was strongly marked in
Sall, a fine old mastiff that used at this time to walk round the
dining-room after breakfast, with her noble head reaching the level of
the table. But the duke had chosen Kaiser for other qualities. Two of
those wolf-dogs had been brought to him for sale when travelling on the
Continent; the other was the larger and handsomer animal; but Kaiser's
eyes, sunk deep in the head, and all but meeting under his shaggy hair,
at once fixed his choice on him as 'likest his work.' That work was to
defend the sheep from the wolves, and one mode of defence was by laying
a strange trap for the enemy. The dog was remarkably like a sheep, his
hair white without a dark speck, and he carried a great load of it, long
and fleecy like wool. In the Hungarian steppes four or five of those
dogs would lay themselves down on the grass in the evening, sleeping
there like so many harmless lambs, with their faces inward for the heat
of each other's breath. The keen eye of the wolf was soon attracted by
the white fleeces, with no shepherd near to guard them. Eager for blood,
he careered swiftly over the plain, and sprang unsuspecting into the
midst of the flock, only to find himself clenched in the relentless jaws
of Kaiser and his comrades, wolves more terrible than himself under the
clothing of timid sheep. A conversation once took place at the Lodge on
the character ascribed to dogs in Scripture. It slightly vexed the good
duchess that they were so often mentioned in the Bible, but only as
emblems of what is foul and fierce, except in a single instance, and
that not of commendation, but neutrality. This exception, she said,
occurred in the Book of Proverbs, where the greyhound is named, along
with the lion and the goat, as 'comely in going,' yet merely in praise
of his external beauty. But her difficulty was relieved by the reply,
that in Isaiah lvi. 10, the "dog" is really used in a good sense as
applied to the spiritual watchmen of the Lord's flock. For the
unfaithful shepherds, being there likened to dumb dogs that cannot bark,
were not censured under the simple image of watch-dogs, but because, as
such, they were faithless and useless; implying that the good watch-dog
is an honourable emblem of the true pastor, watching for the souls
committed to his care, and solemnly warning them of approaching danger."
FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS ITALIAN GREYHOUNDS.
Dr John Moore, when travelling with the Duke of Hamilton, saw and heard
a good deal of Frederick the Great, and has given in his second volume
of "A View of Society and Manners in France," &c., many interesting
particulars of his private and public life. Among these, he alludes to
his using "a very large gold snuff-box, the lid ornamented with
diamonds," and his taking "an immoderate quantity of Spanish snuff, the
marks of which very often appear on his waistcoat and breeches. These
are also liable to be soiled by the paws of two or three Italian
greyhounds, which he often caresses" (vol. ii. p. 236).
THE DOG AND THE FRENCH MURDERERS. (AN OCCURRENCE IN THE SPRING OF 1837.)
Thomas Raikes,[70] in his Journal 8th March 1837, records:--"Eight years
ago, a labouring man in the department of the Loire was found murdered
in a wood near his house, and his dog sitting near the body. No clue
could be gained to the perpetrators of the crime, and his widow
continued to live in the same cottage, accompanied always by the
faithful animal. Last week two men, apparently travellers, stopped at
the house, requesting shelter from the storm, which was granted; but no
sooner had the dog perceived them, than he flew at them with fury, and
could not be pacified. As they were quitting the house, one of them said
to the other, 'That rascally dog has not forgotten us.' This raised the
suspicion of the widow, who overheard it, and applying to the gendarmes
in the neighbourhood, they followed and arrested them. The result has
been that, after a long examination, one of them has confessed the
crime, and impeached his associate."
* * * * *
Hannah More wrote an ode addressed to Garrick's famous house-dog Dragon.
A copy of this she gave to Sir Joshua Reynolds in 1777, while still
unprinted, under an oath neither to take nor give a copy of it, which
oath Sir Joshua had observed (she says) like a true knight, only reading
it to his visitors till some of them learned it by heart. The "charming
bagatelle" was afterwards printed, that posterity might be enabled to
wonder what a small expenditure of wit in metre sufficed to purchase a
large modicum of fame among the blues of that day.[71]
ROBERT HALL AND THE DOG.
The eloquent Robert Hall and Dr Leifchild were often in each other's
company when at Bristol, travelling and preaching together at
anniversaries and ordinations. The son and biographer of the latter
says:[72]--"I rode with them from Bristol to Wells, and can now, in
imagination, see Mr Hall smoking and reclining on one seat of the
carriage, while my father sat on the other. I can see Mr Hall descending
at a blacksmith's shop to re-light his pipe, making his way directly to
the forge, and jumping aside with unwonted agility, when a huge dog
growled at him. I can recall his look, when rallied on his agility,
after his return to the carriage. 'You seemed afraid of the dog, sir,'
said my father. 'Apostolic advice, sir--Beware of dogs,' rejoined Mr
Hall." Dr Leifchild, in another part of the memoir (p. 360), relates
that some housekeeper would exclaim to him, as he was about to enter the
house of friend or stranger, "Don't be afraid of the dog, sir, he never
bites."--"Are you quite sure he never bites?" was his prompt
question.--"Quite sure, sir," rejoined the servant.--"Then," rejoined
the good-humoured doctor, "if he never _bites_, how does he live?"
A QUEEN AND HER LAP-DOG.
Henrietta Maria, Queen of Charles I., on her return to Burlington Bay
with assistance for her husband, was attacked in the house where she
slept by the cannonade of five ships of war belonging to the
Parliament. She left the house amid the whistling of balls, one of which
killed one of her servants. When on her way to the shelter of a ditch,
she remembered that an aged lap-dog, called "Mitte," was left behind.
She was much attached to this old favourite, and returned to the house
she had left. Rushing up-stairs into her chamber, she caught up her old
pet, which was reposing on her bed, and carried her off in safety.
Having done this, the queen and her ladies gained the ditch, and
crouched down in it, while the cannon played furiously over their
heads.[73]
THE CLEVER DOG THAT BELONGED TO THE HUNTERS OF POLMOOD.
The estate of Polmood, in Peeblesshire, was the subject of extraordinary
litigation, and a volume of considerable bulk is devoted to its history.
This work contains much curious evidence from aged country folks in the
western parts of the country. Mr Chambers[74] tells us that in the
history "reminiscences concerning a wonderfully clever dog are put
forward as links in the line of propinquity." The deponent has heard his
father say that Robert Hunter had a remarkable dog called "Algiers;" and
that, when Robert lived at Woodend, he used to tie a napkin round the
dog's neck with money in it, and send him for snuff to Lammington, which
is about three miles from Woodend, and that the dog executed his
message faithfully, and prevented everybody from laying hold of or
stopping him. Another venerable deponent, aged eighty-nine, had heard
his mother tell many stories about a dog belonging to Uncle Robert,
which went by the name of "Algiers;" that they used to cut a fleece off
him every year sufficient to make a pair of stockings; and that Uncle
Robert used to tie a purse round his neck, with money in it, and the dog
then swam the Tweed, and brought back tobacco from the Crook! And a
third declares that "Algiers" could be sent to Edinburgh with a letter,
and bring back a letter to his master.
THE IRISH CLERGYMAN AND THE DOGS.
Mr Fitzpatrick, in his anecdotal memoirs of Archbishop Whately, tells a
story of an eccentric Irish parson. This person, when preaching, was
interrupted in his homily by two dogs, which began to fight in church.
He descended the pulpit, and endeavoured to separate them. On returning
to his place, the clergyman, who was rather an absent man, asked the
clerk, "Where was I a while ago?"--"Wasn't yer Riverence appaising the
dogs?" responded the other.[75]
WASHINGTON IRVING AND THE DOG.
Patrick Fraser Tytler, author of "The History of Scotland," in a letter
to his wife in 1830, says--"At Lady Morton's, one evening, I met with
Washington Irving. I had heard him described as a very silent man, who
was always observing others, but seldom opened his lips. Instead of
which, his tongue never lay still; and he gets out more wee wordies in a
minute than any ordinary converser does in five. But I found him a very
intelligent and agreeable man. I put him in mind of his travelling with
our dear Tommy. He had at first no recollection; but I brought it back
to his memory by the incident of the little black dog, who always went
before the horses in pulling up hill, and pretended to assist them. I
put him in mind of his own wit, 'that he wondered if the doggie mistook
himself for a horse;' at which he laughed, and added, 'Yes, and thought
it very hard that he was not rubbed down at the end of the
journey.'"[76]
DOUGLAS JERROLD AND HIS DOG.
Jerrold had a favourite dog that followed him everywhere. One day in the
country, a lady, who was passing, turned round and said audibly, "What
an ugly little brute!" Whereupon Jerrold, addressing the lady, replied,
"Oh, madam! I wonder what he thinks _about us_ at this moment."[77]
SHERIDAN AND THE DOG.
After witnessing the first representation of a dog-piece by Reynolds,
called the "Caravan," Sheridan suddenly came into the green-room, on
purpose, it was imagined, to wish the author joy. "Where is he?" was
the first question; "where is my guardian angel?"--"Here I am," answered
Reynolds.--"Pooh!" replied Sheridan, "I don't mean _you_, I mean _the
dog_."[78]
CHARLES LAMB AND HIS DOG.
Thomas Hood had a dog called "Dash." This dog he gave to Charles Lamb.
The ready-witted Elia often took the creature out with him when walking
at Enfield. On one occasion, the dog dashed off to chase some young
sheep. The owner of the muttons came out quite indignant at the owner,
to expostulate with him on the assault of Lamb's dog on his sheep. Elia,
with his quiet ready wit, replied, "Hunt _Lambs_, sir?--why, he never
hunted _me_."[79]
FRENCH DOGS, TIME OF LOUIS XI.--HISTORY OF HIS DOG "RELAIS" BY LOUIS
XII.
Horace Walpole, in one of his gossiping letters to the Countess of
Ossory in 1781, writes, "You must not be surprised if I should send you
a collection of Tonton's _bons-mots_. I have found a precedent for such
a work. A grave author wrote a book on the 'Hunt of the Grand Senechal
of Normandy,' and of _les DITS du bon chien Souillard, qui fut au Roi
Loy de France onzieme du nom_. Louis XII., the reverse of the
predecessor of the same name, did not leave to his historian to
celebrate his dog "Relais," but did him the honour of being his
biographer himself; and for a reason that was becoming so excellent a
king. It was _pour animer les descendans d'un si brave chien a se rendre
aussi bons que lui, et encore meilleurs_. It was great pity the Cardinal
d'Amboise had no bastard puppies, or, to be sure, his Majesty would have
written his Prime Minister's life too, for a model to his
successors."[80]
MARTIN LUTHER OBSERVES A DOG AT LINTZ.
In the "Table Talk" of Martin Luther, it is recorded:--"I saw a dog at
Lintz, in Austria, that was taught to go with a hand-basket to the
butchers' shambles for meat. When other dogs came about him, and sought
to take the meat out of the basket, he set it down and fought lustily
with them; but when he saw they were too strong for him, he himself
would snatch out the first piece of meat, lest he should lose all. Even
so does now our Emperor Charles; who, after having long protected
spiritual benefices, seeing that every prince takes possession of
monasteries, himself takes possession of bishoprics, as just now he has
seized upon those of Utrecht and Liege."[81]
THE POOR DOG AT THE GROTTA DEL CANE.
Henry Matthews,[82] like other visitors of Naples, went to the
celebrated _Grotta del Cane_, or Dog Grotto, on the borders of Lake
Agnano, so called from the vapour in the cave, destructive to animal
life, being shown by means of a dog. In his diary, of March 3, 1818, he
records:--"Travellers have made a great display of sensibility in their
strictures upon the spectacle exhibited here; but to all appearance the
dog did not care much about it. It may be said, with truth of him, that
he is _used_ to it; for he dies many times a day, and he went to the
place of execution wagging his tail. He became insensible in two
minutes; but upon being laid on the grass, he revived from his trance in
a few seconds, without the process of immersion in the lake, which is
generally mentioned as necessary to his recovery. From the voracity with
which he bolted down a loaf of bread which I bought for him, the vapour
does not seem to injure the animal functions. Addison seems to have been
very particular in his experiments upon the vapour of this cavern. He
found that a pistol would not take fire in it; but upon laying a train
of gunpowder, and igniting it beyond the sphere of the vapour, he found
that it could not intercept the train of fire when it had once begun
flashing, nor hinder it from running to the very end. He subjected a dog
to a second trial in order to ascertain whether he was longer in
expiring the first than the second time; and he found there was no
sensible difference. A viper bore it _nine minutes_ the first time he
put it in, and _ten minutes_ the second; and he attributes the prolonged
duration of the second trial to the large provision of air that the
viper laid in after his first death, upon which stock he supposes it to
have existed a minute longer the second time."
DOG, A POSTMAN AND CARRIER.
Robert Southey says, that "near Moffat a dog used for many years to meet
the mail and receive the letters for a little post-town near."[83]
How often may you see a dog carrying a basket or a parcel. No
enticement, even of a dog-friend or of a great bone, will induce this
faithful servant to abandon his charge. Every one must have observed
this.
DOG-MATIC.
In the great dispute between South and Sherlock, the latter, who was a
great courtier, said--"His adversary reasoned well, but he barked like a
cur." To which the other replied, "That _fawning_ was the property of a
cur as well as barking."[84]
GENERAL MOREAU AND HIS GREYHOUND.
"The day after the battle of Dresden (27th Aug. 1812), a greyhound was
brought to the King of Saxony, the ally of Napoleon. The dog was moaning
piteously. On the collar were engraved the words, 'I belong to the
General Moreau.' Where was the dog's master? By the side of the Emperor
Alexander. Moreau had been mortally wounded. The dog had remained with
his master until his death. While Moreau was conversing with the Emperor
Alexander a cannon-shot nearly carried off both his legs. It is said
that throughout the five days during which he lingered he uttered not a
murmur of pain."[85]
* * * * *
At the battle of Solferino, where rifled cannon were first brought to
bear in warfare, a dog excited great attention by its attachment to the
body of its slain master. It became the chief object in a painting of
the circumstance, from which an engraving was executed.
A DUKE OF NORFOLK AND HIS SPANIELS.
In Southey's "Common-place Book," 4th ser. p. 479, he writes--"Our
Marlborough and King James's spaniels are unrivalled in beauty. The
latter breed (black and tan, with hair almost approaching to silk in
fineness, such as Vandyke loved to introduce into his portraits) were
solely in the possession of the late Duke of Norfolk. He never travelled
without two of his favourites in the carriage. When at Worksop he used
to feed his eagles with the pups; and a stranger to his exclusive pride
in the race, seeing him one day employed in thus destroying a whole
litter, told his grace how much he should be delighted to possess one of
them. The duke's reply was a characteristic one. 'Pray, sir, which of my
estates should you like to have?'"
There are shepherds who possess collies, such _proud_, useful servants
and friends, that no bribe would induce them to part with them. But what
old favourite dog or even bird is there that any one would part with?
Man, be he scavenger or duke, is very similar in this species of
attachment.
LORD NORTH AND THE DOG.
In several of the caricatures published about the year 1783, when Fox
and Burke had joined Lord North, and helped to form what is called the
Coalition Ministry, a dog is represented. This, says Mr Wright,[86] is
said to be an allusion to an occurrence in the House of Commons. During
the last defensive declamation of Lord North, on the eve of his
resignation, a dog, which had concealed itself under the benches, came
out and set up a hideous howling in the midst of his harangue. The house
was thrown into a roar of laughter, which continued until the intruder
was turned out; and then Lord North coolly observed, "As the new member
has ended his argument, I beg to be allowed to continue mine."
PERTHES DERIVES HINTS FROM HIS DOG.
In a letter, written when he first came to Gotha, Perthes, the
publisher, says--"Do not laugh if I tell you that my dog has given me
many a hint upon human nature. I never before had a dog constantly with
me, and I now ask myself whether the poodle be not a man, and men
poodles. I am not led to this thought by the animal propensities which
we have in common, such as eating, drinking, &c., but by those of a more
refined character. He too is cheerful and dejected, excited and supine,
playful and morose, gentle and bold, caressing and snappish, patient
and refractory; just like us men in all things, even in his dreams! This
likeness is not to me at all discouraging; on the contrary, it suggests
a pleasing hope that this flesh and blood which plagues and fetters us,
is not the real man, but merely the earthly clothing which will be cast
off when he no longer belongs to earth, provided he has not sinfully
chosen to identify himself with the merely material. The devil's chief
seat is not in matter but in the mind, where he fosters pride,
selfishness, and hatred, and by their means destroys not what is
transitory but what is eternal in man."[87]
PETER THE GREAT AND HIS FAVOURITE DOG LISETTE.
Mr Stoehlin[88] relates the following anecdote of the Czar Peter, on
the authority of Miss Anne Cramer, the chambermaid to the empress. In
the cabinet of natural history of the academy at St Petersburg, is
preserved, among a number of uncommon animals, Lisette, the favourite
dog of the Russian monarch. She was a small, dun-coloured Italian
greyhound, and very fond of her master, whom she never quitted but when
he went out, and then she laid herself down on his couch. At his return
she showed her fondness by a thousand caresses, followed him wherever he
went, and during his afternoon nap lay always at his feet.
A person belonging to the court, having excited the anger of the czar--I
do not know by what means--was confined in the fort, and there was
reason to suppose that he would receive the punishment of the knout on
the first market-day. The whole court, and the empress herself, thought
him innocent, and considered the anger of the czar as excessive and
unjust. Every means was tried to save him, and the first opportunity
taken to intercede in his favour. But, so far from succeeding, it served
only to irritate the emperor the more, who forbade all persons, even the
empress, to speak for the prisoner, and, above all, to present any
petition on the subject, under the pain of incurring his highest
displeasure.
It was supposed that no resource remained to save the culprit. However,
those who in concert with the czarina interested themselves in his
favour, devised the means of urging their suit without incurring the
penalty of the prohibition.
They composed a short but pathetic petition, in the name of Lisette.
After having set forth her uncommon fidelity to her master, she adduced
the strongest proofs of innocence of the prisoner, entreated the czar to
take the matter into consideration, and to be propitious to her prayer,
by granting him his liberty.
This petition was tied to her collar, in such a manner as to be easily
visible.
On the czar's return from the Admiralty and Senate, Lisette, as usual,
came leaping about him; and he perceived the paper, folded in the form
of a petition. He took, and read it--"What!" said he; "Lisette, do you
also present me petitions? Well, as it is the first time, I grant your
prayer." He immediately sent a denthtchick[89] to the fort, with orders
to set the prisoner at liberty.
THE LIGHT COMPANY'S POODLE AND SIR F. PONSONBY.
Captain Gronow, in his gossiping book,[90] says--"Every regiment has a
pet of some sort or another. One distinguished Highland regiment
possesses a deer; the Welsh Fusiliers a goat, which is the object of
their peculiar affection, and which generally marches with the band. The
light company of my battalion of the 1st Guards in 1813 rejoiced in a
very handsome poodle, which, if I mistake not, had been made prisoner at
Vittoria. At the commencement of the battle of the 9th of December 1813,
near the mayor's house, not far from Bidart, we observed the gallant
Frederick Ponsonby well in front with the skirmishers, and by the side
of his horse the soldiers' poodle. The colonel was encouraging our men
to advance, and the poodle, in great glee, was jumping and barking at
the bullets, as they flew round him like hail. On a sudden we observed
Ponsonby struggling with a French mounted officer, whom he had already
disarmed, and was endeavouring to lead off to our lines; when the French
skirmishers, whose numbers had increased, fired several shots, and
wounded Ponsonby, forcing him to relinquish his prisoner, and to retire.
At the same time, a bullet broke one of the poor dog's legs. For his
gallant conduct in this affair, the poodle became, if possible, a still
greater favourite than he was before; and his friends, the men of the
light company, took him to England, where I saw my three-legged friend
for several years afterwards, the most prosperous of poodles, and the
happiest of the canine race."
ADMIRAL RODNEY AND HIS DOG LOUP.
Earl Stanhope, in his History,[91] remarks--"To those who love to trace
the lesser lights and shades of human character, I shall owe no apology
if I venture to record of the conqueror of De Grasse, that even in his
busiest hours he could turn some kindly thoughts not only to his family
and friends, but to his dog in England. That dog, named Loup, was of the
French fox-breed, and so attached to his master, that when the admiral
left home to take the command of his fleet, the faithful animal remained
for three days in his chamber, watching his coat, and refusing food. The
affection was warmly returned. On many more than one occasion we find
Rodney wrote much as follows to his wife--'Remember me to my dear girls
and my faithful friend Loup; I know you will kiss him for me.'"[92]
RUDDIMAN AND HIS DOG RASCAL.
George Chalmers, in his Life of the learned Thomas Ruddiman,[93] tells
us that "young Ruddiman was initiated in grammar at the parish-school of
Boyndie, in Banffshire, which was distant a mile from his father's
dwelling; and which was then taught by George Morison, whom his pupil
always praised for his attention and his skill. To this school the boy
walked every morning, carrying his daily provisions with him. He is said
to have been daily accompanied by a dog, which, when he had proceeded to
the top of Tooting-hillock, the halfway resting-place, always returned
home after partaking of his victuals. This story is still (1794)
remembered, as if there were in it something supernatural. We may
suppose, however, that the excursion was equally agreeable to both
parties; and when it was once known that the dog was to eat at a
particular place at a stated hour, an appropriate allowance was
constantly made for him. Whether Ruddiman had a natural fondness for
dogs, or whether a particular attachment began, when impressions are
easily made, which are long remembered, cannot now be ascertained. He
certainly, throughout a long life, had a succession of dogs, which were
invariably called _Rascal_; and which, being springing spaniels, ever
accompanied him in all his walks. He used, with affectionate
recollection, to entertain his friends with stories of dogs, which all
tended to show the fidelity of that useful animal to man."
* * * * *
Mrs Schimmelpenninck, authoress of "Select Memoirs of Port Royal," died
in 1856. Her interesting Autobiography and Life were published in 1858
by her relation, Christiana C. Hankin. In p. 467 it is remarked that
"her love of animals formed quite a feature in her daily habits. Like St
Francis, she delighted to attract the little birds, by tempting them
with dainty food upon her verandah; and it was a positive pleasure to
her to watch their feast. She had a bag made, which was always filled
with oats, to regale any stray horse or ass; and she has been seen
surrounded by four goats, each standing on its hind legs, with its
uplifted front feet resting on her, and all eagerly claiming the salt
she had prepared for them. But her great delight was in dogs. She never
forgot those sad hours in childhood, when, unable to mix in the sports
of children from illness (perhaps, too, from her want of sympathy in the
usual pleasures of that age), the beautiful dogs at Barr were her
companions and friends.