e increased upon the least cause of alarm. Unlike the
bull-dog, the mastiff always warns before he attacks. His voice is
deep and powerful in tone.

Such is the animal of which I now propose to give a few characteristic
anecdotes.

About the year 1742, a lady, who resided in a lone house in Cheshire,
permitted all her servants, except one female, to go to a supper and
dance at a Christmas merry-meeting, held at an inn about three miles
distant, and kept by the uncle of the maid who had remained in the
house with her mistress. The servants were not expected back till the
morning; consequently the doors and windows were, as usual, secured,
and the lady and her servant were going to bed, when they were
alarmed by the voice of some persons apparently attempting to break
into the house. Fortunately a great mastiff dog, named Caesar, was in
the kitchen, and set up a tremendous barking, which, however, had not
the effect of intimidating the robbers. The maid-servant distinctly
heard that the attempt to enter the house was made by the villains
endeavouring to force a way through a hole under the sunk story in the
adjoining back-kitchen or scullery. Being a young woman of courage,
she went towards the spot, accompanied by the dog, and patting him on
the back, exclaimed, "At him, Caesar!" The dog made a furious attack on
the person who seemed to be at the hole, and gave something a violent
shake, when all became quiet, and the animal returned to her with his
mouth all besmeared with blood. She afterwards heard some little
bustle outside of the house, which soon was stilled. The lady and
servant sat up until morning, without farther molestation, when, on
going into the court, a quantity of blood was found on the outside of
the wall. The other servants, on their return, brought word to the
maid that her uncle, the innkeeper, had died suddenly during the
course of the night--they understood of a fit of apoplexy--and was
intended to be buried that day. The maid got leave to go to the
funeral, and was surprised to find the coffin on her arrival screwed
down. She insisted on taking a last view of the body, which was most
unwillingly granted; when, to her great surprise and horror, she found
his death had been occasioned from his throat being torn open. What
had happened the evening before immediately rushed to her imagination,
and it appeared too evident to her that she had been the innocent
cause of her uncle's death; and, upon furt