, 1873-01-26
Th Q Faults OF Dogs.

/
| But OF Ill the current mistakes about dogs, the
most exasperattng is the vulgar one that they
have no faults, that all their virtues are mere
matters Of course, and that we may expect every
| dog to be magnanimous and courageous, as We
expect table to be firm, or drawer to open
and shut. The grand Wattsian aphoriam, ss1t
is their nature to-" oxhausts tho popular
philosophy Of the subject, and the mean
est cad Till pat dog condescendin!gly
on the hesd for an net OF heroism
drowning universe. To understand how good
are dogs it is absolutely necessary (as. Hegel
would tell us) to recognize also their badness.
We must see that the ''best OF dogs has bis
redeem from absolute contempt even the most
puai1animous cur. I have used the word
faults" but am not sure that ne might not
equally properly speak OF the crimes OF dogs,
for the turpltude Of some OF their actions GER
tainly surpasses mere failure in justice or beney-
olence. There ere traitor dogs who have
basely accepted bribes Of raw meat and re-
manned silent when it was their imperative duty
as sentinels to challenge the intruder with the
loudest Of barks. Moroseness, and even malig-
otherwise deserving of moral approval. into
deods Of violence and murderouB attacks on
rivals; and the lawless brigandaSe OF others in
the matter of their neighbors' bones is almost
too common transgression to be noticed. Even
real estate lin kennel property is dlsregardcd
By como marauders, who will hold adverse pos
session" against the rightful owner upon
The good old p1nn
That they may take who have the power,
And they may keep WHO can.
Others, again, SO. aside every recognized prin-
ciple Of treaties and friendly alliances. Among
kind m italian bandit, tall, aerce; AMI muscu-
lar, who lived on spur Of the Appenines. After
paying him respectful greeting at the mouth
Of hia own den in Tuscan farm-yard, had
been conyersing with his mistress for half an
hour, when Vendetta (such are the hideoua
names Italians give to their doga!) stole up be-
hind me and took my log in his enormous jaws,
with crunch not soon to be banished from 4
retentire memory. Worse than such ordinary
traitorous acts was that OF dog Of whom have
of canine kindness, had been turned to
gall by belolding tho caresses 1avished on
q toy-terrier newly acquired by the family in
whose affections the hardy mastiff had hitherto
roigned supreme and alone. From the reports
furnished me Of the judicial inquiry which fol-
lowed the crime (and to which only tho genius
Of II. Gaboriau could do adequate iustice), it
seems that the little dog was missed for several !
days, and his absence bewailed, while something |
in the demeanor OF the big dog suggested to all !
red, and that Leo was dark1y privy thereto At |
length servant approaching the, coal-hole |
fanced she heard faint moan OF anguish from |
the depths Of that dreary receptacle and q Light |
being procured, the miserable little toy-terrier |
vas found Tell-nigh, buried under the |
self, or even to move his limbs. Whether the /
findictiye Leo had actually carried his puny rival
uto the hole, and scratched an ava!anche OF |
Goals over him, or that Tiny had somehow mau-
,qua1Iy obvious from Leo's behavior that he-wa
quite awaro Of what had befallcn his rival, and
hat lie lacked the generosity to deliver him, OF
'yon to draw attention to his deplorablo case.