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Near this spot, I deposited the remains of one who possessed beauty without vanity, strength

without insolence, courage without ferocity, and all the virtues of man without his vices.

This praise, which would be unmeaning flattery if inscribed over human ashes, is but a

just tribute to the memory of Bowson, a dog, who was born in Newfoundland, May 1803, and

died at Newsted, November 18th, 1808.

To Tom Holland, those are the words written by Lord Byron's friend, John Cam Hobhouse,

on the urn of the dog, Bowson and Newsted Abbey, aren't they? Very moving tribute, tremendously

moving. And Byron wrote something himself, didn't he, about this dog?

Yes, so inscribed on this tune, which is in the grounds of Newsted Abbey Byron's ancestral

home. You have an entire poem by Byron, which concludes with the splendid couplet to

mark a friend's remains, these stones arise. I never knew but one, and here he lies. So

man's best friend, Dominic, and that's the theme of today's episode. We have chosen

the seven greatest dogs in history. The Magnificent Seven. So Tom, I'm delighted you've chosen

this, because this is your topic. And what surprises me is that you're more of a cat person

yourself.

No, I love dogs as well. Do you? Yeah, I do. But because I live in London,

I don't, it's easier to have cats. Of course. Otherwise, you have to kind of go around

with bags scooping up poo and it's all a bit horrid. I'm going to betray my hand here.

...