The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1873-01-09
THH FACULTIES OF DOGS.
From the London, Quarterly Review.

TdH FACULTIES OF DOGS.
From the London Quarterly Review.
A little reflection shows that dog ap-
proaches man much more nearly in the
matter Of feeling than either of physical or
mental characteristics. 1t is startling fact,
we'll brought out by jesse in synopsis Of
the dogs attributes, that there are very few
human passions which dog does not share.
The dog feels anger precisely as we do,
and after provocation is sometimes yindic.
tive and sometimes placable, according to his
individual character. He is susceptible of
hatred of the bitterest kind. He is so ex-
cruciatinglyj jealous, that his life becomes
burden in the presence of a favored rival.
His enry continually leads him to eat what
he does not want lest another animal should
take it, and to illustrate the table of "Ths
Dog ia the Manger." Gluttony holds out
to him temptations under which even his
honesty sometimes succumbs; but on the
other hand, from drunkenness he il nobly
emancipated. A dog mentioned by the Rev.
Thomas Jackson, having once been made SO
drunk with malt liquor that he was unable
to walk up stairs, ever after declined to Taste
the pernicious beverage, and growled and
snarled ut the sight Of pewter pot. Again,
a. 10 lore, Don Juan was cold and unsnter.
prising character, compared to dog; and
Is to maternal affection, the mother-dog feels
il with heroic passion, starvng to death rather
than forsake her offspring. Gratitude mar bs
almost said to be dogs leading principle,
supplying 6rst the spring Of allegiance to his
master, and ever after lrssonciliDg him with.
true nnagnanimity to take evil from the hand
from which he has accepted good. Regret
and gri.f he feels 30 deeply that they often
break his heart. Fear is q passion which
dogs exhibit with singular variation, some
breeds and individuals being very timorous,
and others perfect models Of courage; the
latter characteristic and tarhtude seeming to
be more characteristically canine. A grey.
hound has been known, after breaking his
thigh, to run on until his course was conelu.
ded; and in the excellent volume, Son the -.
Dog, )" by Idstons,' is frightful story of a
fox-hound, whom its ferocious master fog
ged so savagely for "babbling," as to cut out
its eye with the whip. The animal contin-
ued to hunt with The pack till the end Of
the chase, whereupon the human brute. a
certain Colonel Thornton, took out his scis.
sors and severed the skin, by which the dogs
eye hing during the entire run. As to
hope, no one can observe the dog watching
for his masters step, as in Landseer's pic.
ture of " Expectation, without admitting
that he knows the sentiment as we'll as we.
Pride in successful chase may be witness:
ed in every dog, and even quickened in the
heart beats of a greyhound when caressed
and praised. That dogs have personal vaaii.
tv appears from tho fact that they are 30
manifestiy dejested and demoraIised wlea
dirty and ragged by long exposure, and re-
cover their selfrespect Immediately, on be-
ing washed and combed. Chiralry and
magnanimity may nearly always be calcula-
ted upon in dogs, and wife beating is an of.
fence to which the four.footed beast never
descends. The stories are endless of big
dogs overlooking the insults of small ours,
or taking them into water and giving them
good ducking as punishment for their i'm
pcrtinence, and then helping them merciful-
ly back to land. Sense of property bifurca-
ting into both coretousness and dparice, is
common TO all dogs The kennel, rug, COL
lar or water.basin once devoted to his use,
no dog can see transferred to another with.
out indignation. Frequently he "coyets
his neighbor's house" and attempts to ell
sconse hiinselfin it surreptitiously; and al
most universally he covets his. neighbors
bone, and purloins it if be dare. Even from
ararice he cannot be wholly e1oncrated, oh
serving bis propensity to bury his treasures.
Shame, after transgressing any Of The arbi.
trary rules imposed on him, dog displays
with ludicrous simplicity; but Of the deeper
sense of violated modesty which in human
beings accompanies the commission Of sin, he
evidently, knows nothing. Hamor, so far as
it can proceed without language, the dog
catshss readily from humorous master, and
also the enjoyment Of such games As he can
understand. As baby crows with glse at
e" Bo-pesp," 30 4 dog barks with delight 1t
"gcftteh." Makes believe runs and false
starts, romps and tickling, rolling him up In
rugs and letting him 6ud bis way out, throw.
| ing o ball for him to catch on the grass, or
stick to fish out Of the lake, all supply him
with pleasures perfectly analogous in their ma.
turs to that which boys and men 6nd in Blind
Mans Buff and Prisoners Base, lordly crick
ct, and lady-like croquet. Lastly, faith in
loved superior, is perhaps the most bsauti.
full and affecting Of all the attributes Of
dog. Whose heart does not grow sick at
the reflection that this sacred trust OF the
dog in man should be 50 often betrayed, =
that dull Doors should lure him by mock
words Of encouragement to the death ito hlm
50 slow and agonizing) of the halter and
that far worse Sretches, in the gn'se OF cul,
thsn d;ssect him alive, while even in death,
hc strives to show his confidence and lick
their hands? Few of us, it is to be hoped,
would purchase our own immunity from dis.
r.ho oost of scores of such cruel ex.