Colonel Jack is a child who might pick pockets and rob pedestrians but his "natural Temper is docible," and he is, as he calls himself, an "unhappy tractable Dog" (1,6).
He does not seem to be one of the "many whose tempers are docible." His only aim is to ruthlessly one-up adults for gain.
They will be pliable to all good admonition,
docible by all good instruction, serviceable in all things they take in hand." (15) Gouge recognized, however, that godly servants, if they could not be found, could certainly be trained.
return to enjoy my own speculations in my little garden at Redriff; to apply those excellent lessons of virtue which I learned among the Houyhnhnms; to instruct the Yahoos of my own family as far as I shall find them
docible animals; to behold my figure often in a glass, and thus if possible habituate myself by time to tolerate the sight of a human creature.