I shall not ask Jean Jacques Rousseau, IT so happened, that, once upon a time, a Newfoundland dog was pleased to take it into his head to run away from his master, where he had ever been kept like a gentleman, (according to his own confession,) and come up to London, to seek after adventures. I saw him in his glory. He was a noble fellow : there was something imperial in the wagging of his bushy tail; and his eyes, on particular occasions, assumed the fire of a lion's. He was well combed and washed twice a week; and, on the whole, behaved as well as could be expected under the operations. In fact, he was the best-bred dog that ever I saw; and, by a particular habit he had got, (which, by-the-way, I would heartily recommend to all his canine relations,) of jumping and frisking about the mat, so as to clean his feet well before he entered a room, he won the especial favour of my lady, who christened him by the name of "Blucher." He had a large and airy kennel, (built against the snug side of the yellow-walled stable,) painted of a decent slate colour, which was carefully replenished with straw twice a day. Nay, on one side there was a kind of trough to hold his water, and on the other a platter to contain his victuals. Now, although he lived in such a handsome manner, he was not satisfied. The fact is, that a gentleman, (Sir Leonard Bullwhistle,) on a visit to his master, brought a fat, pursy, wheezing animal in his carriage, which was eventually the ruin of Blucher. Our friend eyed the stranger askance at first, and drew himself up with great dignity, wagging his tail in a most lofty manner. But "familiarity begets contempt." Prowzer, (the stranger's name,) by sundry humble acts, such as fetching Blucher a bone-leaving the trough when he came to drink-sleeping next the outside, (for they boarded and lodged together,) and various other unspeakable attentions, quite won upon the generous heart of the noble animal. I am very much inclined to think, from all accounts I have been able to obtain, that Blucher's knight-errantry was first engendered in sundry conversations with his new friend; for they were frequently remarked to run away together to a wood at some distance, and there, under the shadow of a beech tree, doubtless were arranged all the plans of Blucher's elopement. The innovations arising from his intercourse with his town-bred friend, first manifested themselves in a certain angry impatience on washing and combing day; and then he turned up his nose at the wholesome food brought him one morning by the butler. The magnificent description of Prowzer had clean turned his head. His ambition was fired. "It's no use-I must see life; I was never born to be cooped up in this narrow box all my days," were the reflections with which he suddenly started from his kennel, one bright, crisp, cold, frosty March morning, ran swiftly down the park, bounded nimbly over the gate, and took the high road to London. His journal must tell his adventures. CHAPTER I. Showing that Dogs have got Souls as well as Men, and that they know what is best for themselves. MARCH the 13th, 1824. This morning I escaped from Ashburd Park. I don't regret it, not I. I'll show myself a dog of spirit. I ran very quickly several miles, when the thought struck me that I should have first eaten my breakfast. But it cannot be helped now. I'm not going to sneak back, and be laughed at and ridiculed by my dear friend Prowzer. I'll show him that country dogs have resolution as well as your sleek town ones. But that is no reason why I should not get my bellyful of victuals as soon as convenient. Ha! there's a public house! will they take pity on me? I'll tell them I've got a soul, and a body too, as well as they, and that I need support for both; but will only trouble them for the latter at present. I have been to the Pig and Whistle Inn, as it is called. There was an Irish labourer there, sitting in the taproom, eating bread and cheese and onions, and drinking porter. So I walked in, and stood opposite to him, and looked pathetically at what he held in his right hand; I wagged my tail; I whined. He understood me. 66 Arrah, my honey! but the dare cratur seems hungry!-my jewel! and won't I give you some praties! to be sure I will!" With that the kind-hearted fellow gave me a plateful, which he emptied from a coarse canvass bag. I ate a bellyful, though it was nothing to be compared with what I got at home. But what of that? as my friend Prowzer says, I am an independent dog now; I am free to buffet with the world as I best may. I moistened my breakfast with some-(I am sorry to say it)-with some ditch water! Faugh! As I heard the landlord say that the London coach went by at twelve o'clock, and it was now ten, I resolved to go leisurely on my way till it caught me. However, when I saw the flaring sun, the bright though barren country, and the merry passengers, I could not keep on in such a heartless pace; so I trotted briskly along, forming vast schemes of future aggrandizement. At length I heard the heavy rumbling of the Shamrock coach; it soon caught me, and we kept companions for many a long mile. At length night came on, cold, dark, and cheerless. The coach and I stopped at Thatcham, a snug, pretty, comfortable inn. I went into the kitchen: a famous dish of ham and veal, and gravy, and bread, was set by in a corner for the hostler, by his sweetheart the cook. She was as red as could well be, fuming and fretting over a sirloin of beef, roasting richly before a huge roaring fire. I ate up the convenient victuals as quietly and expeditiously as possible. I had then no further occasion to be in the kitchen; so, thanking the kind servant in my heart, and licking my chops in testimony of my appreciation of my good cheer, I walked leisurely into the yard, while they were getting ready the second coach. I stood by, and no one saw me, for I kept away from the little red twinkling lanterns. At length the man had occasion to go into the stable, and left the coach door open. Was ever happiness like mine! I had found a capital supper; and here a bed offered itself for my convenience. I was always a dog of decisive character; so I bolted into the coach and crept under the seat. I had soon the unbarkable satisfaction of hearing the drowsy coachman come, slam the door, (they had no inside passenger except myself,) call out " All's right," and away we rattled, in such a delightful fashion, as sure never dog rattled before. The place in which I slept seemed made for my convenience; it was half full of nice, clean, sweet hay, and as warm as my heart could wish. I slept soundly. CHAPTER II. A singular Adventure; and the Termination of my Journey. I CONJECTURED it to be five o'clock, when I was awaked by the sudden halting of the coach. What could this mean? Sure we had not yet arrived at London! I almost began to tremble lest some ugly accident-a dreamy and unconscious barking in my sleep, to wit, to which habit, Prowzer informed me, I was often subject at Ashburd—had betrayed me. So, with a bold heart I issued from beneath the seat, and stood fronting what I conjectured to be the door, for I could not see in the darkness; when I heard this dialogue: "Huoya, coachee! hast thee ever a place inside o' thee? Lud-a-mercy, let's in, for 'tis bitter cold." "Ay, the coach is empty. Jack," (to the guard,) "open the coach door for this gentleman." Open the coach door! my heart leaped up to my throat. I heard the guard jump heavily from the wheel on to the ground, open the coach door, and as the bumpkin had got one foot on the step, I leaped clean over his head, carrying, however, his hat in my course, and alighted exactly in a prickly hedge, (for it seems the coach had turned to one side for the passenger's convenience.) I could not stir from my situation, lest the coachman's whip, an instrument to which I ever had an insuperable aversion, should find its way to me; so I remained on the tenter branches of expectation. It was a ludicrous scene. “Lud, lud, lud!" exclaimed the affrighted countryman, in a voice fainter and fainter, till I heard him fall heav ily along the road, in a fit, as I conjectured. The guard, notwithstanding he was reckoned a very valiant fellow, tried to whistle it off; but it was of no use. He had felt the sulphur of his Satanic majesty, (as I was told he informed his wife,) and seen his red goggling eyes, and his tail a yard and a half long, having a sting |