Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-12-22
THE CONSEQUENCES OF DOGS.

A dog feels anger precisely as We do,
and after prOyOcatiOn is sometimes vim
dictive, and sometimes placable, accord
ing to his individual character. He is
susceptible of hatred of the bitterest
kind. He is so eXcruciatingly jealous
that his life becomes a burden in the
presence of a favored rival. His envy
continually leads him to eat what he
does not want, least another animal
should take it, and to illustrate the fable
of the dog in the manger. GluttOny
holds out to him temptations under
which even his honesty sometimes sue
cumbs; but, on the other hand, from.
drunkenness he is nobly emancipated
A dog mentioned by Rev Thomas Jack
son (Oltr Dumb COBlpdniOnS), having
once been made drunk with malt liquor
that be was unable to walk up stairs, he
ever after declined to taste the perni-
cious beverage, and groWled and snarled
at the sight of pewter pot. Again, Us
to love, Don Juan was a cold and unen-
terprising character compared 10 dog:
and as to maternal affection, the mother
dog feels it with heroic passion, starving
herself to death, rather than forsake her
offspring. Gratitude may almost be
said to be a dogs leading principle, sup
plying first the spring of allegiance to
his master, and after recOnciling him,
with true magnanimity, to take evil
from the hand which he has accepted
good. Regret and grief he feels so deep-
" that they often break his heart Fear
is a passion which dogs xhibit with
singular variation, some breeds and in
dividuals being very timOrous, and 9TH
ers perfect models of courage, the latter
characteristics and fortitude seeming to
be more Enthusiastically canine. A
greyhound has been known, after break
ing his thigh, to run on till the course
was concluded. AS to hope, no one can
observe the dog watching for his mas
ter's step, as in Landseer's picture Of
"ExpectatiOn,u without admitting that
he knows the sentiment as wen as we.
Pride in a successful chase may be wit
messed in every dog, and even felt in
the quickened heart-beats of a greyhound
when caressed and praised. That dogs
have personal vanity appears from the
fact that they are so manifestly detected
and demoraliZed when dirty and ragged
by long exposure, and recover their self
respect Immediately on being washed
and combed. Chivalry and magnanim-
ity may nearly always be calculated
upon ia dogs, and wife-beating is an Of
Tense to which the fOur-fOOted beasts
never descend. The stories are endless
of big dogs generously overlooking the
insults of small ours, or taking them
into water and giving them a good duck
ing as q punishment for their imperti-
nence, and thence helping them merci-
fully back to land. Sense Of propriety,
bifurcating into both covetousness and
avarice, is common to all dogs. The
kennel, rug, collar, Water-basin, or bone
once devoted to his use, no dog can see
transferred to another without indigua-
ton. Frequently he 'covets his neigh
boris house, y and attempts to ensconce
himself in it surreptitiously; and almost
universally he cOvets his neighhOr's
bone, and purlOins it, if he dare. Even
from avarice he cannot be wholly eX-
observing his propensity to
bury his treasures. Shame, after trans
crossing any of the arbitrary rules i'm
posed on him, a dog displays with lu-
dicrous simplicity; but of the deeper
sense of violated modesty which in hui
man beings accompanies the commits
sion of sin, the dog evidently knows
whatever. HumOr, so far as il
can proceed without language, the dog
readily from 8 humorous mas
ter, and also the enjoyment of such
games as he can understand. As baby
crows with glee at "bo-peep," SO a dog |
barks with delight at "go-fetch.n Make |
believe runs and false starts, romps and |
throwing ball for him to
catch on the grass, or a stick to fish out |
of lake, all supply him with pleasure
perfectly analogous in their nature to
that which boys and men find in blind
man s-buff and prisoners base, lordly |
cricket, and lady-like croquet. Lastly, |
faith in a beloved superior is perhaps !
the most beautiful and affecting of all /
the attributes Of a dog.-Quarterly Re
UisU.