06/08/2026
This here book contains one of the earliest descriptions of the Labrador Retriever in print ..."the best for any kind of shooting. He is generally black and no bigger than a Pointer, very fine in legs, with short, smooth hair, and does not carry his tail so much curled as the other; is extremely quick, running, swimming, and fighting"
Originally published in 1814 this copy is a 3rd edition from 1824.
I had the honor of laying my hands on it and many other important works of sporting dog literature to include a 1537 copy of the, Cynegetica written by Grattius, a didactic poet from the reign of Augustus (1st century BC).
Many thanks to my super cool, super interesting 2nd cousin and director of special collections at the Swem Library at William and Mary Jay for the tour of the Chapin-Horowitz Dog Book Collection.
Of course no trip to the W&M library could be complete without looking up my beautiful mother in the 1965 yearbook.
