Three Men in a Boat / Three Men on the Bummel
Three Men in a Boat / Three Men on the Bummel
Three Men in a Boat / Three Men on the Bummel
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— 333 —<br />
“Brita<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>’s Best” or a “Camberwell Eureka”? Why are <strong>the</strong>se bicycles<br />
of <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ferior make so prevalent throughout <strong>the</strong> land<br />
Or is it with bicycl<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g as with all o<strong>the</strong>r th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gs: does Life at<br />
no po<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>t realise <strong>the</strong> Poster?<br />
The <strong>on</strong>e th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> Germany that never fails to charm and<br />
fasc<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ate me is <strong>the</strong> German dog. In England <strong>on</strong>e grows tired<br />
of <strong>the</strong> old breeds, <strong>on</strong>e knows <strong>the</strong>m all so well: <strong>the</strong> mastiff, <strong>the</strong><br />
plum-pudd<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g dog, <strong>the</strong> terrier (black, white or rough-haired,<br />
as <strong>the</strong> case may be, but always quarrelsome), <strong>the</strong> collie, <strong>the</strong><br />
bulldog; never anyth<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g new. Now <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> Germany you get variety.<br />
You come across dogs <strong>the</strong> like of which you have never seen<br />
before: that until you hear <strong>the</strong>m bark you do not know are<br />
dogs. It is all so fresh, so <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>terest<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g. George stopped a dog <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
Sigmar<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gen and drew our attenti<strong>on</strong> to it. It suggested a cross<br />
between a codfish and a poodle. I would not like to be positive<br />
it was not a cross between a codfish and a poodle. Harris tried<br />
to photograph it, but it ran up a fence and disappeared through<br />
some bushes.<br />
I do not know what <strong>the</strong> German breeder’s idea is; at present<br />
he reta<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>s his secret. George suggests he is aim<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g at a griff<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>.<br />
There is much to bear out this <strong>the</strong>ory, and <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>deed <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong>e or two<br />
cases I have come across success <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong>se l<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>es would seem to<br />
have been almost achieved. Yet I cannot br<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g myself to believe<br />
that such are anyth<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g more than mere accidents. The German<br />
is practical, and I fail to see <strong>the</strong> object of a griff<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>. If mere<br />
qua<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>tness of design be desired, is <strong>the</strong>re not already <strong>the</strong> Dachshund!<br />
What more is needed? Besides, about a house, a griff<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
would be so <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>c<strong>on</strong>venient: people would be c<strong>on</strong>t<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ually tread<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
<strong>on</strong> its tail. My own idea is that what <strong>the</strong> Germans are try<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
for is a mermaid, which <strong>the</strong>y will <strong>the</strong>n tra<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> to catch fish.<br />
For your German does not encourage laz<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ess <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> any liv<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g. He likes to see his dogs work, and <strong>the</strong> German dog loves<br />
work; of that <strong>the</strong>re can be no doubt. The life of <strong>the</strong> English<br />
dog must be a misery to him. Imag<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>e a str<strong>on</strong>g, active, and<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>telligent be<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g, of excepti<strong>on</strong>ally energetic temperament,<br />
c<strong>on</strong>demned to spend twenty-four hours a day <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> absolute