Pratt, Samuel Jackson [pseud. Courtney Melmoth] (1749-1814)

Liberal Opinions, Upon Animals, Man, and Providence

London

Printed for G. Robinson, and J. Bew

1775-7

"It was this creature which confirmed me in the belief, that the partition betwixt instinct and reason was totally transparent; and that the animal and rational saw through very similar mirrors."

The Isaac of dogs--the Benjamin of animals. Never sure in man or beast, resided more gratitude, or more sensibility. Behold his bosom is grown grey in my society. Many a time, when the storms of the world have blown hard upon my head, even till the violence of the shock assailed my heart--when the eye of friendship became inverted, by ill success, and when I looked in vain around me for the benevolence of sympathy, and the consolations of human attachment--in those destitute moments (to the shame of man) came that affectionate adherent--and (with an officiousness of love, which wanted not the eloquence of words to be understood) taught me to take refuge in resignation, and in his company set at defiance the malice of vicissitude. That very creature has made the grand tour, and returned at last in a good old age, to his chimney corner, and houshold gods, fraught with wisdom and experience. He was tutor to the puppy of a nobleman, who was indeed but a dull dog himself. Tripsea, however, (for so is my favourite called,) though he could make no wise impressions on the young heir, did not neglect to enrich himself with all the policy, maxims, manners, government, and constitution of every country through which he passed. His thirst of foreign knowledge was, indeed, so remarkable, and his inquiries so minute, that he can bark upon those subjects with as much fluency, as any traveller upon earth--and this it is which makes him, one or another, the most entertaining animal that ever crossed the Atlantic. It was this creature which confirmed me in the belief, that the partition betwixt instinct and reason was totally transparent; and that the animal and rational saw through very similar mirrors. Tripsea is the delight of my society--nay, he is at this time president of a canine club, of which he is the life and soul--for they, being a set of ignorant country-bred dogs, he plays his own game with them; and, to say the truth, he does sometimes so bamboozle the creatures with touches of the stupendous--as travellers, you know, madam, are apt to use a long bow--that he makes every particular hair to stand an end upon their backs.--Yet the veriest cur of the county is open-mouthed to swallow the news, and, all to a dog, admire his parts, and confess the power of travel. I believe Tripsea is at this very time preparing a journal for the press, in which the public may expect a collection of remarks, not inferior to any extant, with notes critical and explanatory, on the errors and abuses of other historians. As for the right honourable and drowsy whelp, who was the companion of Tripsea, his business abroad was pretty much like his business at home--he straggled about the streets--lifted up a naughty leg against the public buildings--kept a mistress in a corner--intrigued with a lady of the court--had an affair of honour with the poor dog of a husband--got worried by a bravo--seized by an officer of justice --whined out six days in prison-- and wrote a fawning letter to the animal of a minister to release him--but at length, as destitute of wisdom, as of every thing else that is valuable, he is returned--the hopeful and eldest son of the ancient family of the Jolters--and his present employment is to talk highly of the great advantages of finishing one's education abroad, in order to persuade other puppies to follow his example.--But the improvements of Tripsea, madam--the harvest of exotic instruction, which that dear serious-looking creature has in store--but--hush--he barks. Artful animal, I know the reason--see, madam, he leaps upon my lap. Aye, aye, I thought so.--I hope your ladyship will pardon him--as he is in treaty with a bookseller about his Authentic Memoirs, and has almost disposed of the copy-right--he whispers me his opinion, that it would be ungenteel to publish any anecdotes beforehand, and might, hurt the sale. For your ladyship will be pleased to understand, that there has been of late a surprising revolution in the world of literature--brains, however, manufactured, sell now for little or nothing; for the longest and wisest heads in the nation have discovered that there is nothing within, (and consequently nothing that come out), which can reasonably be considered, as property. 'Tis all a caput mortuum; and past any sort of doubt, that the inside even of a privy counsellor's skull is not worth half the value of the wig that covers it. This being the case, Tripsea is certainly in the right to make the best of his manuscript.
(pp. 24-30)

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Liberal Opinions, Upon Animals, Man, and Providence: in Which Are Introduced, Anecdotes of a Gentleman. (London: Printed for G. Robinson, and J. Bew, 1775-77). <Link to ECCO-TCP>

08/28/2013