[ Rees / The Cyclopædia ]
The Cyclopædia; or Universal Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and Literature was written by Rev. Abraham Rees ("With the Assistance of Eminent Professional Gentlemen", per the title page) and illustrated "by the most distinguished artists."
Rees (1743-1825) was a Welsh minister and author, primarily of religious works and this Cyclopedia, which was first published in 1728, in two volumes, by the English writer Ephraim Chambers. Rees (and his contributors) eventually expanded the Cyclopedia to 45 volumes. The text is taken from the 1819 edition published in London by Longman et al, volume 12.
The entry on the Newfoundland is quite brief; the breed is mentioned a second time in the discussion of Mastiffs. Most interesting here is the claim that Newfoundlands make good guard dogs. The comments on Newfoundlands as draft dogs, pulling three hundred pounds of wood, originally appear in Thomas Bewick's A General History of Quadrupeds, and are used by a number of subsequent early writers.
Newfoundland Dog, a variety of large size, and which, from its superior strength, sagacity, and docile disposition, is one of those best calculated for the security of a house. The feet of this kind of dog are more palmated than usual, and the animal is remarkably partial to the water. The breed of Newfoundland dogs was originally brought from the country of which they bear the name, where they are extremely useful to the settlers on those coasts, who employ them as animals of burthen, to bring wood from the interior of the country to the sea side: three or four of them yoked to a sledge will draw two or three hundred weight of wood piled upon it for several miles with great ease. In this service, it is affirmed they are so sagacious and willing, that they never require a driver or person to guide them, but after delivering their loading, they return without delay to the woods, and receive food in reward for their industry. In these parts they are accustomed to feed principally on fish, which, either in a fresh or dried state, these animals are remarkably fond of. From the structure of the feet, the Newfoundland dog is enabled to swim extremely fast, dive with ease, and bring up any thing from the bottom of the Water.
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Mastiff . . . This is the size of a wolf, very robust in its form, and having the sides of the lips pendulous. Its aspect is sullen, and its bark loud and terrific, and he appears every way formed for the important trust of guarding property committed to his care, and as a house or yard dog may be perhaps more valuable than the Newfoundland breed, which is more commonly kept for this purpose.