The Landseers moved from Queen Anne Street to Foley Street, near
Burlington House. This was a neighborhood of artists, and for neighbors
they had West, Mulready, Northcote, Constable, Flaxman and our own
picturesque Allston, of Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The Elgin Marbles were then kept at Burlington House, and these were a
great source of inspiration to the Landseer boys. It gave them a true
taste of the Grecian, and knowing a little about Greece, they wanted to
know more. Greece became the theme--they talked it at breakfast, dinner
and supper. The father and mother told them all they knew, and guessed at
a few things more, and to keep at least one lesson ahead of the children
the parents "crammed for examination."

Edwin sketched that world-famous horse's head from the Parthenon, and the
figures of horses and animals in bas-relief that formed the frieze; and
the boys figured out in their minds why horses and men were all the same
height.

Gradually it dawned upon the father and the brothers that Edwin was their
master so far as drawing was concerned. They could sketch a Newfoundland
dog that would pass for anybody's Newfoundland, but Edwin's was a certain
identical dog, and none other.

Edwin Landseer really discovered the dog.

He discovered that dogs of one breed may be very different in temper and
disposition; and going further he found that dogs have character and
personality. He struck an untouched lode and worked it out to his own
delight and the delight of great numbers of others.