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 exclusi