in memoriam of a well-mannered dog, 1699

From a 1699 funeral oration upon "Favorite," the dog of a noble lady identified only as Urania:

…Was there ever any thing so well-mannered?  For the purpose, If at any time Ladies of Condition and Quality came to pay their Respects and Devoirs (formal respects - curator) to Urania, he was never observ’d, like other ill-manner’d Dogs, to run with open Mouth to the Door, and receive them with the clamourous Salute of his Voice; but entertain them with a respectful Silence, and introduce them with Civility unto his Mistriss, nor, during the whole Visit, as is also the wont of the rest of Dogs, thrust himself in a rude and troublesome manner into their Laps, disordering their Dress, and with dirty Feet incommoding their Linnen; but, like a well-bred Creature, sit at a due Distance, and silently wait the call of the Ladies.

- "Person of quality," A Funeral-oration Upon Favorite, My Lady * * * Lap-dog (London: 1699), p. 4.  I had a hard time selecting which delightful nugget of dog-description to share with you today, so I might have to whip out a little more of this one in days to come!  To give you a sense of where 1699 was in English time, the reigning couple was William III and Mary.