Page:The power of the dog.djvu/150

 1434, of Arnolfini and his wife we are fortunate enough to have a very clear and lifelike portrait of their pet dog in the foreground. The painter evidently went to some pains over the animal, which in many respects is singularly like the present-day Griffon, the most noticeable divergence being the longer face of Arnolfini's pet. He has not the snub nose of our own dogs, but the photograph of one of the older champions shows that this feature is of recent development.

To cite a further instance, between the years 1554 and 1640, says Mr. Spicer, Jacopo du Empoli is credited with the production of a picture of a dwarf, in the employ of Henry III. of France, which portrays amongst a collection of this monarch's pets, two unmistakeableunmistakable [sic] griffons. After this evidence it will be unwise to jump too readily to the conclusion that the Brussels Griffon is a modern breed fashioned from British materials. We know perfectly well that toy dogs have been in vogue through all ages, and these not only of the spaniel kind. No great exercise of the imagination is needed to see among them the Griffons Bruxellois or their progenitors.

Miss Earl in her picture has well caught the spirit of diablerie manifest in these mannikins. Is it matter for surprise that lovers of the eccentric should profess a devotion for them, that when, for some reason or other, they fell out of favour with the great ladies