given by men of money, for none other could
purchase them. There are but few men capable
of breeding Shorthorns, and all who know any-
thing about them are aware that they are a
made-up breed, hence their want of unity in
breeding. Tell me, ye Duchess men, ye follow-
ers of Bates, did you ever see uniformity of
breeding in the herd of Thomas Bates? A more
uneven herd I never beheld, either at home in
their glory, with their admirers around them, or
divided in America by those gentlemen who
strongly advocate the Duchess tribe of Bates”
breeding of thin skins and soft handling. What
is more remarkable, these advocates both in
England and this country were generally men,
who knew nothing about breeding ; were literary
men who had acquired a fortune by some lucra-
tive business, became possessed of it by heir-
ship, or leaped into it by some “lucky” specu-
lation. These men gave high prices because
they had the money, not because they had the
judgment to select for themselves; because the


THE RIGHT HON. EARL OF COVENTRY, CROOME COURT, WORCESTERSHIRE.
176 HISTORY
Duchess stock had become fashionable in Amer-
ica, and men who did not know their true value
paid fabulous prices for them. Still, they soon
began to find out that it cost more to keep up
appearances than the animals could realize, and
they retired from the Duchess contest as soon
as propriety would allow, or with as little injury
to the cause as possible—Morris & Becar retired
in favor of Thorn,—Thorn retired in favor of
Sheldon,—Sheldon retired in favor of Walcott
& Campbell—all Duchess men. Vail retired
from a Duchess to a Devon breeder. Lewis F.
