The Clumber is the aristocrat of the Spaniel family: in comparison with him his modern Black brother of the benches is a mere upstart, and the Irish Water Spaniel as an unkempt kerne to a polished gentleman. The Sussex cannot compare with him in dignity of demeanour; and the busy little Cocker, taking though he be, is commonplace by the side of the Clumber, whose manners, solemn and deliberate, are stamped with that repose which the least imaginative may easily conceive to rest on the consciousness of noble lineage.

How the variety of Spaniel under consideration came into being is uncertain, but that the characteristics he presents have for several generations of men been preserved by in-and-in breeding, appears pretty certain; land for long the breed was confined to the Newcastle family, from one of whose seats it takes its name.

The origin of this dog, so distinct in type from other Spaniels, is a puzzle that, in the absence of all record, appears insoluble. His long barrel, short legs, and rather inactive formation separate him not only from the sprightly Cocker, but also from all other varieties of the Spaniel family; in fact, his massive head, large, truncated muzzle, and deep eyes, sometimes showing the haw, almost suggest a cross with a short-legged hound; but this his characteristic of being mute in questing seems to contradict. One plausible theory is that the introduction of French Bassets to the Clumber kennels and their intermixture with the original red-and-white Spaniel, now called the Welsh Springer, may have been responsible for his production, and for endowing him with many of the peculiar features that distinguish him from other breeds of Spaniels. Daniel states that the breed was introduced into this country by a Duke of Newcastle, who obtained it from the Due de Nouailles. This tends to assign the date of its importation to the latter half of the eighteenth century, and rather supports the idea of that Basset cross which the form of the Clumber so strongly suggests.

This Spaniel, if pure-bred, invariably hunts mute, and is an excellent, docile worker, with a wonderful nose. But he is rather soft in his disposition, and apt to tire when used in rougher covers than those of his native Sherwood, where there is not much undergrowth except bracken. He makes a tender retriever, and is easily broken to this business; in fact, whatever his duties, he will perform them in honest fashion, with a plodding, conscientious patience. Many Clumbers prove excellent water dogs, although that is not their profession; and, well entered, they prove equally useful and steady on snipe, pheasants, or rabbits. In packs they combine splendidly, showing less jealousy and disposition to copy than many breeds; and even to the single-dog sportsman the Clumber proves a useful, trustworthy companion.

The strain was for long highly prized by several large landowners in whose kennels it came to be established; of these, the principal were the Dukes of Newcastle, Norfolk, and Portland, Earls Spencer and Manvers, Lord Arundell of Wardour, and Mr. Foljambe of Osberton. Mr. Foljambe's name, indeed, is intimately associated with the pedigrees of the best show specimens.

Mr. R. S. Holford, in the earlier days of dog shows, exhibited some grand Clumbers. The Arkwrights, also, of Sutton Scarsdale and of Willersley, were enthusiastic breeders, and many examples from the Sutton kennels were formerly shown with success.

Mr. James Farrow, who has paid very close attention to the breed as exhibited in the show-ring, has written the following account: -

"Better specimens of this beautiful and very useful variety of Spaniel existed ten or fifteen years ago than we have to-day. I know of no Clumber Spaniel now being exhibited showing so distinctly the head properties - so much valued by Clumber breeders - as did Nabob, a Clumber that did a lot of prize winning about the year 1872, exhibited by Mr. P. Bullock, and bred by Mr. Foljambe, a name often found connected with many of our best Clumbers. Beau was another good Clumber, bred by Mr. J. Douglas, of Clumber, and exhibited by Mr. Fletcher. At the Kennel Club Shows in 1874 and 1875 Beau was often placed over Nabob, but, although a good dog, he was certainly not equal to Nabob. Another good Clumber, and a great prize winner - a better dog than anything now being exhibited - was Trusty, bred by Earl Spencer, and exhibited for years by Mr. H. B. Spurgin, Northampton. About the year 1872 the Rev. T. Marshall exhibited, at several shows held in the East of England, a grand Clumber dog, named Bruce. Very little was seen of this Clumber at exhibitions; had he been in some hands, however, this dog would have made a name in the Clumber world. Another good Clumber, and bred from some of Mr. Foljambe's dogs, was Rock, bred by Mr. Parlett, who, although not a heavy prize winner, was fairly successful at exhibitions. He was, perhaps, a little short in body, and a little too long on his legs, but a good Clumber nevertheless; and I have seen him placed over what I take to-day to be the best Clumber now being exhibited - I refer to Psycho, a heavy prize winner, and first in the Challenge Class at the Kennel Club's Show in January, 1887.

In 1885 I was very much afraid we were about to lose, or give up, in the head properties of the Clumber, some of our oldest acknowledged points. Boss III., a Clumber bred and exhibited by Mr. J. Allen, Ampthill, was, in 1885, awarded, and by some of our oldest Spaniel judges, first prize in the Challenge Class at both the Kennel Club's winter and summer exhibitions; and at Warwick, in the Challenge Class, he was placed over Psycho by our old, recognised Spaniel judges, the Rev. A. L. Willet and Major Willet. Now, there is just as much difference between the head of the Clumber and the head of the ordinary Field or Springer Spaniel as there is between black and white; and Boss III.'s head is certainly more of the ordinary Field Spaniel type than that of a Clumber, and that simply at once destroys the Clumber expression.