[ Doughty / Cabinet of Natural History and Rural American Sports ]
This encyclopedia-style work (hence the name "cabinet") was published in 3 volumes in Philadelphia over the course of three years (1830-33). The work was edited by the brothers John and Thomas Doughty, who were also the printers; Thomas Doughty (1793-1856) was also a painter, one of the founders of the Hudson River School of American painting, and provided many of the illustrations for The Cabinet's first volume, although he then abandoned the project to pursue his painting.
Below is Thomas Doughty's 1830 illustration accompanying the article on the Newfoundland dog. Note the extremely strong resemblance between Doughty's Newfoundland and the one painted by Philip Reinagle nearly 30 years earlier; it's quite likely Doughty was simply copying the earlier work, a common practice among artists and engravers in the early 19th Century, as books such as this were popular and artists were under pressure to produce images of animals they may well have never seen.
Here is the full text of the Newfoundland article:
The variety of Dog so well known under the name of Newfoundland, has generally been considered by Naturalists as a mongrel, allied to the Esquimaux and Indian; but this opinion is evidently erroneous, as he differs from those varieties in the form of his head, and the general robustness of his figure. When full bred and uncontaminated by the blood of any inferior variety, he is certainly the most imposing and noble of the canine race. Although, at first sight, his great size and strength convey a sensation of fear, the mild and expressive character of his countenance manifests that ferocity is far from being a predominant or distinguishing trait of his character.
Extremely docile and affectionate, this Dog may be taught to perform actions which appear almost incredible, and which, seemingly, require no slight exercise of the reasoning faculties. Equally sagacious as persevering, he never relinquishes an undertaking as long as there remains the most distant hope of success. He seldom or ever offers offence, but will not receive an insult or injury with impunity. The great pliability of his temper, peculiarly fits him for the use of man, as he never shrinks from any task that may be assigned him, but undertakes it with an ardour proportioned to the difficulty of the execution.
The Newfoundland Dog is habitually used in its native country, for the purposes of draught. They are easily broken in, and soon inured to the trammels of harness; three, four, or five are used in a sledge or other vehicle, and will convey a load of some hundreds weight for many miles with great ease. This, when once instructed in and accustomed to the road, they will do without any supervision; and having delivered the load with which they have been entrusted, will return to the residence of their master, to receive their accustomed food, which generally consists of fish, either fresh or in a dried state, of both of which they are said to be extremely fond. Captain Brown states, that in 1810, it was computed that there were upwards of two thousand of these Dogs, at and in the vicinity of St. John's, Newfoundland. They are left to shift for themselves during the whole summer, and are not only troublesome to the inhabitants, but become absolute nuisances, from starvation and disease. Contrary to their natural disposition, where properly taken care of, under these circumstances, they assemble in packs and prowl about like wolves for their prey, destroying sheep, poultry, and every thing eatable within their reach. When the fishing season is over, and their inhuman masters again require their services, they are reclaimed, and submit with cheerfulness to the tasks which are assigned them. The same author states, that this reclamation always gives rise to much confusion and litigation, the value of these periodically deserted animals being estimated at from two to eight pounds each.
The qualifications of this Dog are not, however, confined to drawing burdens; as a watch Dog he is far more intelligent, and more to be depended on than the mastiff; and his services on navigable rivers are unequalled by any other of the species; he has even been broken in as a pointer, his sagacity and docility rendering his training an easy task.
There are, however, some faults to which he is unfortunately too prone;—he is a most implacable enemy to sheep; when engaged in chase of a flock of these animals, he generally singles out one of them, and if not prevented, which is no easy task, will never relinquish the pursuit until he has attained and mastered his victim. He always aims at the throat, but after having sucked the blood, leaves the carcass. He is, also, but too often inclined to be jealous of attentions paid by his master, either to other Dogs, or even to children, of this disposition we are acquainted with many instances.
The Newfoundland Dog in his native country, seldom barks, and that, only when much provoked. His utterance appears an unnatural exertion, producing a noise between a bark and a growl. His well known partiality for water, in which he appears in his proper element, diving and keeping beneath the surface for a considerable time, need not be commented on. The generality of the Dogs known under the name of Newfoundland, both in England and this country, are only half bred.
Biographical Sketches and Authentic Anecdotes of Dogs, p. 198,
[this citation appears at the bottom of the page but there is no superscript symbol to indicate what it cites; it is in fact a reference to "Captain Brown" in the third paragraph ]
This work is considered the first American sporting book illustrated with hand-colored lithographs.
