The Irish Wolfhound is the mascot of the Irish Guards, who are the bright red chaps with tall black furry mounds of fur upon their heads whom you can view parading around in front of Buckingham Palace at 11:30 every morning of the week.
In browsing around the internet for more information, I found this delightfully written bit of prose (read more here):
It is with a certain amount of diffidence that this essay is entered upon, as there is a widely spread impression that the breed to be treated of is extinct. That we are in possession of the breed in its original integrity is not pretended; at the same time it is confidently believed that there are strains now existing tracing back, more or less clearly, to the original breed; and it also appears to be tolerably certain that our modern Deerhound is descended from that noble animal, and gives us a very fair idea of what he was, though undoubtedly considerably his inferior in size and power.
Had it not been for these facts, the courage to write this article might have been wanting; but they appear to be so clear to the writer, that he can proceed, with the feeling that most of his readers will perceive that he is amply justified in undertaking a history and description of this very magnificent example of the canine race-that, indeed, may be said to have been its king.
This was written over a century ago, which would explain some of the stylistic difference. Aren't you glad you live now?
No comments:
Post a Comment