Without much interlude we are brought right up to the institution of the St. Bernard Club in 1882, when the variety obtained another fillip, and two years later the Rev. Arthur Carter introduced his immense puppy Plinlimmon, the biggest and handsomest dog ever seen up to that time. So it was considered such things had reached a climax, and Plinlimmon, who was bred by Mr. W. M. Pothe-cary, of Lymm, Cheshire, would be the dog of the century. Proving the chief attraction at all shows where he appeared, he reclined in dignity on his bench, he held levees throughout the day, he gave his paw to the ladies, he beamed pleasantly on the children. His colour was handsome and bright, he was as active as a kitten, had not too much coat, measured 33½ inches at the shoulders, and weighed 21olb. when not too fat. Until 1886, Plinlimmon had not suffered defeat since arriving at maturity. However, in the autumn of that year, he had his colours lowered by a much smaller dog, Mr. King-Patten's Prince Battenberg, who, at Birmingham, was placed over the giant for the special cup - a decision that astounded his many admirers. Still, Mr. Patten's dog was a very perfect specimen so far as he went, and although his head was more typical than that of Plinlimmon, alongside the latter Prince appeared very small. He was a great favourite with some judges.

For such a dog as Plinlimmon there was a prompt demand. Mr. Carter was induced to sell him, then he became the property of different individuals. Mr. J. F. Smith, Sheffield, had him for a time, so had Mr. S. W. Smith, Leeds, and the latter sold him to an American actor, now deceased, Mr. J. K. Emmott, for something like 8oo. Poor Plinlimmon was transferred from the boards of the bench to those of the theatre, and he died in the States only two years ago, leaving however, many of his excellences behind him stamped upon the features of a most numerous progeny. There was but one fault to find with "Plin," as his friends loved to call him, he was rather too long in his face and skull; still a dog with but one fault must needs be almost perfection. Mr. J. F. Smith had also Save, an extraordinarily good dog, about this period; Bayard, who had also become his property, a grand dog in his day, was now in the sere and yellow; Mr. J. Royle had another excellent specimen in Duke of Marlborough; the giant Rector, Mr. S. W. Smith's, had gone to America, but equally good or better than any of them remained at home.

At the time Plinlimmon reigned in the long-coated division, a short-haired prototype of his held sway in the section to which he belonged. This was the brindled and white Guide - which Mr. H. I. Betterton had imported from Switzerland where the dog had been bred by M. H. H. Dür - by Leon from Belline. From the time of the importation of Guide and his half-sister Sans Peur, also bred by M. H. H. Dür, may be traced the great improvement made amongst smooth-coated St. Bernards in this country. In the Stud Book Sans Peur's pedigree is given as unknown, but she was by M. Siegenthaler's Barry from Belline, who was by Burki's Barry II. - M. Gurtner's Lola, by M. Egger's Barry A. - Diana A.

Mr. J. F. Smith, of Sheffield, owned an extraordinary collection of smooth-coated dogs, and his namesake - not relative - Mr. S. W. Smith, at Leeds, was almost equally strong in the rough-coated division, as he is at the time I write. Other admirers were likewise coming to the front, if they had not already done so. Mr. Norris-Elye, Mr. Duerdin-Dutton, Mr. L. Oppenheim, Mr. Hedley Chapman, Mr. H. I. Betterton, Mr. G. W. Marsden, jun., Mr. A. J. Gosling, Mr. J. W. Rutherglen, Mr. Hughes-Hughes, Miss Campbell, Rev. R. T. Thornton,, Mr. W. R. Reid, Mr. Marshall, Mr. T. Thorburn, Mr. H. G. Sweet, Dr. Inman, etc, but it was not to one of them we were to be indebted for the next wonder in canine form.

In 1887 Mr. T. H. Green, who then resided at Wallasey, near Birkenhead, not far removed from where Mr. Macdona's champions had, twenty years before, rolled on the sands and dabbled in the sea round about Hilbre Rectory, introduced a dog called Sir Bedivere, who was by Nero III. - Bena. Standing as high as Plinlimmon, equally heavy and quite as good in body, legs, feet, and general character, Sir Bedivere possessed a perfect head, so for the two years that he remained with us he took all before him whenever he competed in the show ring. His markings and his colour were superb, and although other good dogs have been brought out since, I fancy that Sir Bedivere's equal will not be found in a hurry. He was never defeated, and won the Club challenge cup on several occasions. Mr. Green repeatedly refused large offers for his favourite dog, but in the end was tempted, and, for a consideration of it is said £1300, Sir Bedivere went across the Atlantic, into the kennels of Mr. E. B. Sears, of Melrose, U.S.A., who eventually sold him to Mr. W. C. Reick, of New York, in whose kennels he continued his successes, although one of the American judges placed him below Princess Florence at the New York Show in the spring of 1893. The same year Sir Bedivere was sold to Mr. C. A. Pratt, Arkansas.

Following him came Watch, a dog Mr. Betterton bred by mating Guide with Sans Peur, also an importation from Switzerland. Almost equally as heavy a dog, Watch did not look so big as Sir Bedivere, nor was he generally so well made in his body, nor so perfect on both fore and hind legs, nor in colour. Watch, however, was as near perfection as possible in head and expression, and in this respect was equally as good as his more handsomely - marked opponent. Watch, too, was destined for America, for, after becoming the property of Mr. J. F. Smith, he was sent over to the States for about 5000 dollars.

As a fact, our American cousins have spent large sums of money on some of our best St. Bernards, but whether the climate of the States does not suit them, or the living is different, or whatever be the cause, these imported dogs never do well in their new home, where many have died long before their time ought to have come. Another of our best specimens, Princess Florence, an immense bitch, has been amongst their latest purchases, and it is to be hoped that she will do more good to her strain than have others of her race. Sir Bedivere weighed 212lb., was 33½ inches high at the shoulder, but big as he was and all round the better dog, he never appeared to so fill the eye as the giant of his race as Plinlimmon was in the habit of doing.