PRINTED FOR RICHARD PHILLIPS, No. 6, NEW BRIDGE-STREET; (Price Twelve Shillings half-bound.) Printed by J. ADLARD, Duke-street, West-Smithfield. On the 28th of January was published, the SUPPLEMENTARY NUMBER to our Twentyfecond Volume, containing-HALF-YEARLY RETROSPECTS of LITERATURE, jundry COMMUNICATIONS relative to BOOK-SOCIETIES, and the NEGOTIATION PAPERS. THE MONTHLY MAGAZINE. No. 153.] FEBRUARY 1,1807. [1 of VOL. 23. As long as thofe who write are ambitious of making Converts, and of giving to their Opinions! Maximum Influence and Celebrity, the most extensively circulated Mifcellany will repay with the greatest Eleft the Curiolity of those who read either for Amusement or Inftruction." JOHNSON, ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. SIR, AVING lately read a very useful the fubject of fine-wooled Spanith theep, and being of opinion that its leading features ought to be generally known throughout this ifland, I take the liberty of requesting the publication of them through the medium of your valuable and widely circulated Mifcellany. I lament that, after the fuccefsful experiments and fatisfactory reports of fuch fpirited and enlightened agriculturifts as Lord Somerville, Mr. Tollet, and Dr. Parry, any further incitement to the adoption of a race fo jutily esteemed fhould be neceffary; but it unfortunately happens that in this, as in every other country, ignorance and prejudice are continually thwarting the efforts of rational conviction. He, therefore, who attempts by perfuafion founded on just grounds, to difpel the mift, which clouds the faculties and prevents the exertions of British breeders, will not have the cenfure of candid and well-informed men, It is true that the Merino fheep is not likely to attract the approbation of any one by its beauty; ftill lefs fo in the pre fent age, when fymmetry of form has been fo clofely ftudied, and completely obtain ed; but to this it may be replied, first, that the defect in carcafs fhould be principally afcribed to British fupineness; and fecondly, that it can be remedied. To fubftantiate my charge, I need only remark that this nation has for many years, without even being at the trouble of an experiment, paid to Spain for her finest wool almoft any price that the chofe to demand. The article was indifpenfable to our fuperfine manufactures; we contented ourselves with believing the affer tion that the foil, climate, and other local circumstances, were the caufes of wool being produced in Spain of an inimitable quality; and we continued to tranfmit our enormous orders to a country, which was annually becoming more in alliance MONTHLY MAG. No. 153. with, or rather in fubjection to our deadly foe. The natural refult of our credulity and folly was, that the fheep-owners in fleece, devoted their whole attention to its improvement, and left the carcass to take its chance of becoming better or worfe. Hence, the latter enfued; but, as I have faid, the evil may be remedied. That intelligent and patriotic breeder, Mr. Tollet, of Stafford fire, (whofe naine I have before mentioned, who has now a large flock of Merino, and Anglo-Merino theep, and who is indefatigable in his endeavours to promote the adoption of this celebrated race,) itates, that, in defiance of neglect, fome of the sheep, which have been brought to this country from Spain, have been far from deficient in those characteristics, which are generally con fidered as combining excellence of form. It follows, therefore, that judicious felection from the offspring of these, and of others, might ere long totally remove the abfence of fymmetry, fo much complained of. But after all, viewing them in their present ftate, and fuppoling that their hape never can be improved, allow me to ask whether the rude Arab, like the enlightened Briton, would, while contemplating the deformity of his camel, lofe fight of its utility. Is it not a futficient incentive to the farmers of those diftricts, where the cep is reared principally for carding-wool, (and many of thefe flocks are far from exhibiting models of beauty) that a fingle erofs of the Merino race will double the value of each fleece; that the aniinal, thus yielding at once double profit as to wool, will live on the fame pafturage; and that a butcher, if wishing to buy a score fat wethers of this cross, would value them according to his calculation of their weight, &c. without reference to their beauty; fo that one breed would in this refpect be exactly fituated like the other? Is it not fufficient, I fay, that the carcafs fhould be worth no lefs, while the fleece by its increafe, both in quantity and quality. A will |