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diff --git a/old/2004-05-dhors10.txt b/old/2004-05-dhors10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8f2f2aa --- /dev/null +++ b/old/2004-05-dhors10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1200 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Dissertation on Horses, by William Osmer + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: A Dissertation on Horses + +Author: William Osmer + +Release Date: May, 2004 [EBook #5710] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on August 13, 2002] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, A DISSERTATION ON HORSES *** + + + + +This eBook was produced by Holly Ingraham + +Summary: Osmer shows us, by what he argues against, the primitive +state of horse-breeding in England where a superstitious belief in +bloodline with no attention to conformation rules. This is +difficult for the modern reader to even visualize, after the late +19th century development of conformation norms for all breeds of +animal. Notable for a description of horse raising and use among +the nomad Arabs, evidence of the survival of the ancient Nisaean +breed in Turkey, and stories of the Godolphin Arabian. + + +Transcriber's Note: I have retained most of the original +spellings, as it may be valuable to see how such things have +changed over the centuries. These odd spellings are marked with a +double asterisk (**) not referencing any sort of note. The use of +capitalization or all-caps is as in the original. + + +A +DISSERTATION +on +HORSES: +wherein it is demonstrated, by Matters of Fact, as well as from +the Principles of Philosophy, that INNATE QUALITIES do not exist, +and that the excellence of this Animal is altogether mechanical +and not in the Blood. + +By WILLIAM OSMER + +London: +Printed for T. Waller, 1756 + +-------------------------- +A Dissertation on Horses + +Whoever supposes that Mess. Heber and Pond, or even Mr. John +Cheney, were the first who published accounts of Horse-racing, +will find himself much mistaken, for there lived others above a +hundred years before them, who not only published accounts of +Horse-racing, but acquainted us with the history of the wrestling, +backsword-playing, boxing, and even foot-racing, that happened in +their days; and from them we learn also who were the victors, and +how the racers came in. + +Amongst these, lived a man whose name was Homer, a blind or +obscure man (for they are synonimous** terms) who occasionally +published his book of sports, and to him we are obliged also for +the pedigree of many Horses that were esteemed the best in his +time. This man was said to be poor, in little esteem, and to +travel about the country to sell his books; but though his +circumstances were very low, his understanding, it seems, was not, +for he always took care to pay his court to the great personages +wherever he came, and to flatter them in the blood of their +Horses. But though he was little esteemed in his life-time, yet +his book of pedigrees and genealogy of Horses was thought so +useful, that he was greatly honoured for it after his death. And +what is more strange, though the place of his nativity was +unknown, and no country would receive him as a member of their +community when living, yet when dead, many nations contended for +the honour of it; but whatever arguments each country may produce +for the support of its claim, nothing is more evident than that he +was an Englishman; and there is great reason to believe he was +born somewhere in the North, though I do not take upon me to say +it absolutely was so. His partiality however, to that part of the +kingdom, is manifest enough, for he pretended to say, that a good +racer could be bred in no place but the North; whereas, late +experience has proved that to be a very idle notion. But as the +northern gentlemen were the first breeders of racing Horses, so it +is very probably they were also the first subscribers to his book, +and then we shall find his partiality might arise, either from his +gratitude to these gentlemen, or from its being the place of his +nativity, or perhaps from both. + +There was in the North in his time, a very famous Stallion called +Boreas: Whether the present breeders have any of that blood left, +I do not certainly know; but Homer, to flatter the owner, who was +a subscriber to his book, and always gave him two half guineas +instead of one, fabled that this same Boreas begot his colts as +fleet as the wind. This to be sure will be looked upon as nothing +more than a matter of polite partiality to his benefactor: But it +is much to be feared, this partiality has not been confined to +persons alone; for there is reason to believe, that in many cases, +he has varied the true pedigree of his Horses, and (not unlike our +modern breeders) has left out one cross that has been thought not +good, and substituted another in its room held more fashionable. + +We have an account in one of his books, (I forget the year when it +was published) of a very famous chariot-race, that was run over +Newmarket between five noblemen; and though it was the custom at +that time to run with a two-wheeled chaise and pair only, instead +of four, we find all other customs nearly the same. The names of +the Horses are given us, their pedigrees, and the names of the +drivers; the course is marked out, judges appointed, betts** +offered, but no crossing or jostling allowed; a plain proof they +depended on winning from the excellence of their Horses alone. But +though a curricle and pair was then the fashion, there lived at +that time a strange mad kind of fellow, haughty and overbearing, +determined that no body should do anything like himself, who +always drove three; and though the recital of this circumstance +may be considered as trivial, or little to the purpose, we shall +find something in the story worth our attention, and with respect +to Horses, a case very singular, such a one as no history, no +tradition, nor our own experience has ever furnished us with a +similar instance of. + +It seems these three Horses were so good that no Horses in the +kingdom would match them. Homer, after having been very lavish in +their praise, has given us their names, and the pedigree of two of +them, which it seems were full brothers. He tells us, they were as +swift as the wind, and in his bombast** way of writing, says they +were immortal; which expression is exactly of the same style and +meaning with our modern phrase high-bred, and could mean nothing +else, because in the recital of the pedigree, he tells us, they +were got by this same North-country Horse before mentioned, called +Boreas, and out of a flying Mare called Podarge. But the +singularity of this case is, that the third Horse, whom he calls +Pedasus**, was absolutely a common Horse, and of no blood. Here I +beg leave to make use of Mr. Pope's words, who, in his +translation, speaking of those Horse, says thus: + +"Who like in strength, in swiftness, and in grace, +"A mortal courser match'd th'immortal race." + +Now as nothing is more certain, than that no Horses but those of +blood can race in our days, I have long been endeavouring to find +the true reason of this singular instance, and cannot any way +account for it, but by supposing this equality of strength and +elegance might produce an equality of swiftness. This +consideration naturally produced another, which is, that the blood +of all Horses may be merely ideal; and if so, a word of no +meaning. But before I advance any thing more on this hypothesis, +and that I may not be guilty of treason against the received laws +of jockey-ship, I do here lay it down as a certain truth, that no +Horses but such as come from foreign countries, or which are of +extraction totally foreign, can race. In this opinion every man +will readily join me, and this opinion will be confirmed by every +man's experience and observation. + +But in discussing this point, I shall beg leave, when speaking of +these Horses, to change the word HIGH-BRED, and in its room +substitute the word foreigner, or of foreign extraction. For +perhaps it may appear, that the excellence we find in these Horses +depends totally on the mechanism of their parts, and not in their +blood; and that all the particular distinctions and fashions +thereof, depend also on the whim and caprice of mankind. + +If we take a Horse bred for the cart, and such a one as we call a +hunter, and a horse of foreign extraction, and set them together, +the meanest judge will easily point out the best racer, from the +texture, elegance, and symmetry of their parts, without making any +appeal to blood. Allow but a difference in the texture, elegance, +and symmetry of parts in different Horses, whose extraction is +foreign, this principle will be clearly proved, and the word HIGH- +BRED is of no use, but to puzzle and lead us astray: and every +man's daily observation would teach him, if he was not lost in +this imaginary error, particular blood, that, generally speaking, +such Horses who have the finest texture, elegance of shape, and +the most proportion, are the best racers, let their blood be of +what kind it will, always supposing it to be totally foreign. If I +was asked what beauty was, I should say proportion: if I was asked +what strength was, I should say proportion also: but I would not +be understood to mean, that this strength and beauty alone will +constitute a racer, for we shall find a proper length also will be +wanted for the sake of velocity; and that moreover the very +constituent parts of foreign Horses differ as much from all +others, as their performances. But this, however, will be found a +truth; that in all Horses of every kind, whether designed to draw +or ride, this principle of proportion will determine the principle +of goodness; at least to that part of it which we call bottom. On +the other hand, our daily observation will shew us, that no weak, +loose, disproportioned Horse, let his blood be what it will, ever +yet was a prime racer. If it be objected, that many a plain ugly +Horse has been a good racer; I answer that all goodness is +comparative; and that such Horses who have been winners of plates +about the country, may be improperly called good racers, when +compared to some others: but I can even allow a very plain Horse +to be a prime racer, without giving up the least part of this +system: for instance if we suppose a Horse (with a large head and +long ears, like the Godolphin Arabian) a low mean forehand, slat +sided, and goose rumped, this, I guess, will be allowed a plain +ugly Horse; but yet if such a Horse be strong, and justly made in +those parts which are immediately conducive to action; if his +shoulders incline well backwards, his legs and joints in +proportion, his carcase strong and deep, his thighs well let down, +we shall find he may be a very good racer, even when tried by the +principles of mechanics, without appealing to his blood for any +part of his goodness. We are taught by this doctrine of mechanics, +that the power applied to any body, must be adequate to the weight +of that body, otherwise, such power will be deficient for the +action we require; and there is no man but knows a cable or chord +of three inches diameter is not equal in strength to a chord of +four inches diameter. So that if it should be asked why a handsome +coach Horse, with as much beauty, length, and proportion as a +foreign Horse, will not act with the same velocity and +perseverance, nothing will be more easily answered, without +appealing to blood; because we shall find the powers of acting in +a foreign Horse much more prevalent, and more equal to the weight +of his body, than the powers of acting in a coach Horse: for +whoever has been curious enough to examine the mechanism of +different Horses by dissection, will find the tendon of the leg in +a foreign Hose is much larger than in any other Horse, whose leg +is of the same dimensions; and as the external texture of a +foreign Horse is much finer than of any other, so the foreign +Horse must necessarily have the greatest strength and perseverance +in acting, because the muscular power of two Horses (whose +dimensions are the same) will be the greatest in that Horse, whose +texture is the finest. + +Let us next inquire what information we can gather from the +science of Anatomy, concerning the laws of motion: it teaches us, +that the force and power of a muscle consists in the number of +fibres of which it is composed; and that the velocity and motion +of a muscle consists in the length and extent of its fibres. Let +us compare this doctrine with the language of the jockey: he tells +us, if a Horse has not length, he will be slow; and if made to +slender, he will not be able to bring his weight through. Does +not the observation of the jockey exactly correspond with this +doctrine? If we now inquire into the motion of Horses, we shall +find the bones are the levers of the body, and the tendons and +muscles (which are one and the same thing) are the powers of +acting applied to these levers. Now when we consider a half-bred +Horse running one mile or more, with the same velocity as a Horse +of foreign extraction, we do not impute that equality of velocity +to any innate quality in the half-bred Horse, because we can +account for it by external causes: that is by an equality of the +length, and extent of his levers and tendons. And when we consider +a half-bred Horse running one mile, or more, with the same +velocity as the other, and then giving it up, what shall we do? +shall we say the foreigner beats him by his blood, or by the force +and power of his tendons? or can we, without reproaching our own +reason and understanding, impute that to be the effect of occult +and hidden causes in the one of these instances and not in the +other? both of which are demonstrated with certainty, and reduced +to facts by the knowledge of anatomy and the principles of +mechanics. + +How many instances have we of different Horses beating each other +alternately over different sorts of ground! how often do we see +short, close, compact Horses beating others of a more lengthened +shape, over high and hilly coursed, as well as deep and slippery +ground; in the latter of which, the blood is esteemed much better, +and whose performances in general are much better! + +And how comes it to pass that Horses of a more lengthened shape, +have a superiority over Horses of a shorter make, upon level and +flat courses? Is this effected by the difference of their +mechanical powers, or is it affected by the blood? if, by the +latter, then this blood is not general, but partial only, which no +reasoning man will be absurd enough to allow. But I much fear our +distinctions of good and bad blood are determined with much +partiality; for every jockey has his particular favourite blood, +of which he judges from events, success, or prejudice: else, how +comes it to pass, that we see the different opinions and fashions +of blood varying daily! nay, we see the very same blood undergoing +the very same fate; this year rejected, the next in the highest +esteem; or this year in high repute, the next held at nothing. How +many changes has the blood of Childers undergone! once the best, +then the worst, now good again! Where are the descendants of Bay +Bolton, that once were the terror of their antagonists! Did these +prevail by the superiority of their blood, or because their power +and their fabric was superior to the Horses of their time? If any +one ask why Danby Cade was not as good a racer as any in the +kingdom, the jockey could not impute this defect to his blood; but +if it should be imputed to his want of proportion, surely it might +be held for a true and satisfactory reason. How many revolutions +of fame and credit, have all sportsmen observed in these HIGH-BRED +families. + +Numberless are the examples of this kind which might be quoted, +but to account for this, one says, The blood is wore out for want +of a proper cross; another tells us, That after having been long +in this climate, the blood degenerates; but these reasons cannot +be true, because we see the off-spring of all crosses, and of the +most antient** families, occasionally triumphant over the sons of +the very latest comers, the error then will not be found in the +blood, or in the proper crossing; but the defect will be produced +by the erroneous judgment of mankind, in putting together the male +and female with improper shapes; and while we are lost and blinded +by an imaginary good, the laws of nature stand revealed; and we by +paying a proper attention thereto, and employing our judgment +therein, might wipe this ignis fatuus from the mind, and fix the +truth on a sure foundation. Our observation shews us, that on the +one hand, we may breed Horses of foreign extraction too delicate, +and too slight for any labour; and on the other hand, so coarse +and clumsy, as to be fitter for the cart than the race. Shall we +then wonder these cannot race, or shall we doubt that degrees of +imperfection in the mechanism, will produce degrees of +imperfection in racing! and when we find such deficient, shall we +ridiculously impute it to a degeneracy of that blood, which once +was in the highest esteem, or to the want of judgment in him who +did not properly adapt the shapes of their progenitors! + +Shall we confess this, or is the fault in nature? For though most +philosophers agree, that innate principles do not exist, yet we +know for certain, that in the brute creation, whose food is plain +and simple, (unlike luxurious man) the laws of nature are, +generally speaking, invariable and determined. If it should be +asked why the sons of the Godolphin Arabian were superior to most +Horses of their time; I answer, because he had a great power and +symmetry of parts, (head excepted) and a propriety of length +greatly superior to all other Horses of the same diameter, that +have been lately seen in this kingdom; which I do not assert on my +own judgment, but on the opinion of those who, I believe, +understand Horses much better than I pretend to do: and 'tis very +probable, this Horse, if he had not been confined to particular +Mares, might have begot better racers than any he did. On the +contrary, I have heard it urged in behalf of his blood, that he +was a very mean Horse in figure, and that he was kept as a +teizer** some years before he covered. What does this prove? I +think nothing more, than that his first owner did not rightly +understand this kind of Horse, and that different men differed in +their opinions of this Horse's fabric. + +If any man who doubts this excellence to be in the blood, should +ask how it came to pass that we often see two full brothers, one +of which is a good racer, the other indifferent, or perhaps bad, I +know of but two answers that can be given; we must either allow +this excellence of the blood to be partial, or else we must say, +that by putting together a Horse and a Mare, different in their +shapes, a foetus may be produced of a happy form at one time, and +at another the foetus partaking more or less of the shape of +either, may not be so happily formed. Which shall we do? shall we +impute this difference of goodness in the two brothers, to the +difference of their mechanism? or shall we say this perfection of +the blood is partial? If the latter, then we must own that blood +is not to be relied on, but that the system of it, and whatever is +built on that foundation, is precarious and uncertain, and +therefore falls to the ground of its own accord. Whilst this +continues to be the rule of breeding, I mean of putting male and +female together, with no consideration but that of blood and a +proper cross, it is no wonder so few good racers are produced, no +wonder mankind are disappointed in their pleasures and +expectations; for this prejudice does not only extend to blood, +but even to the very names of the breeders, and the country where +the Horses are bred, though it is beyond all doubt, that the North +claims the preference of all other places in this kingdom; but +that preference is allowed only from the multiplicity of Mares and +Stallions in those parts, and from the number of racers there +bred. + +I would not be thought in this to prefer my own opinion of shape +and make to the known goodness of any Stallion, but would prefer +the latter before the opinion of all mankind. What then? It is not +every Horse that has been a good racer will get good colts; some +have suffered too much in their constitution by hard and continual +labour, whilst others have some natural infirmity that may +probably be entailed on their generation. + +But the most material thing in breeding all animals, and to which +we pay the least regard, either in the race of men or Horses, is +the choice of the female, who not only joins in the production of +the foetus, but in the formation of it also. And that the female +has even the greatest share in the production of the foetus, will +be proved by this instance: if you take a dunghill cock and put to +a game hen, and also put a brother of that game hen to a sister of +the dunghill cock, those chickens bred from the game hen will be +found much superior to those chickens bred from the dunghill hen. + +And here I beg leave to be allowed (without the imputation of +pedantry) one quotation from Virgil, who is supposed to have well +understood the laws of nature. In his description of the choice of +animals for procreation, in the third chapter of his Georgic's, +and the 49th verse, you will find it thus written: + +"Seu quis Olympiacea mieratus praemia palme, +"Pascit Equos, feu quis fortes ad aratra Juvencos, +"Corpora praecipue matrum legat." + +But I should not escape the censure of the critics on this +occasion, I expect the thanks of all the handsome well-made women +in the kingdom, for this hint, who understand Latin; and where +they do not, I hope their paramours will instill the meaning of +it, as deeply as they can into them. But to return to the breeding +of Horses. + +We pay little regard to the mechanism of the female, or of the +Horse to which we put her, but generally choose some particular +Horse for the sake of the cross, or because he is called an +Arabian; whereas, in fact, every Stallion will not be suited to +every Mare, but he who has a fine female, and judgment enough to +adapt her shapes with propriety to a fine male, will always breed +the best racer, let the sort of blood be what it will, always +supposing it to be totally foreign. The truth of this will be +confirmed by our observation, which shews us, that Horses do race, +and do not race, of all families and all crosses. + +We find also, that affinity of blood in the brute creation, if not +continued too long in the same channel, is no impediment to the +perfection of the animal, for experience teaches us, it will hold +good many years in the breed of game cocks. Besides, we know that +Childers, which was perhaps the best racer ever bred in this +kingdom, had in his veins a consanguinity of blood; his pedigree +informing us, that his great grandam was got by Spanker, the dam +of which Mare was also the dam of the said Spanker. + +If we inquire a little farther into the different species of the +creation, we shall find this principle concerning perfection of +shape still more verified. Amongst game cocks we shall find, that +wheresoever power and propriety of shape prevails most, that side +(condition alike) will generally prevail. We shall find also, that +one cock perfectly made, will beat two or three of his own +brothers imperfectly made. If any man should boast of the blood of +his cocks, and say that the uncommon virtue of this animal, which +we call game, is innate, I answer no, for that all principles, and +all ideas arise from sensation and reflection, and are therefore +acquired. + +We perceive this spirit of fighting in game chicken, which they +exert occasionally from their infancy; even so it is amongst +dunghill chickens, though not carried to that degree of +perseverance. + +When arrived at maturity, we see these different birds will still +continue to fight if they meet; if I should be asked why the +perseverance of fighting in one does not continue to death, as in +the other, I answer, that from a different texture of the organs +of the body, different sensations will arise, and consequently +different effects be produced; and this will be proved by +instances from the best of those very cocks which are called game, +who (it is well know) when they suffer a variation in their +texture, or as cockers term it, become rotten, run away +themselves, and their descendants also; which sensation of fear +could not be produced by any alteration in the body, if this +principle of game was innate. + +Amongst men, do we not perceive agility and strength stand forth +confessed in the fabric of their bodies? do not even the passions +and pleasures of mankind greatly depend on the organs of their +bodies? Amongst dogs, we shall find the foxhound prevailing over +all others in speed and in bottom; but if not in speed, in bottom +at least I hope it will be allowed. To what shall we impute this +perfection in him? Shall we impute it to his blood, or to that +elegance of form in which is found no unnecessary weight to +oppress the muscles, or detract from his ability of perseverance? +if to blood, from whence shall we deduce it? or from what origin +is it derived? Surely no man means more, when he talks of the +blood of foxhounds, than to intimate that they are descended from +such, whose ancestors have been eminent for their good +qualifications, and have shone conspicuous in the front of the +pack for many generations. + +But allowing this system of blood to exist in hounds and Horses, +let us consider how inconsistently and differently we act with +respect to each; with respect to hounds, if when arrived at +maturity, we think them ill shaped and loosely made, we at once +dispose of them without any trial, well knowing they will not +answer our expectations: whereas, in Horses, let the shape be what +it will, we are persuaded to train, because the jockey says thay +are very HIGH-BRED. If we now compare the blood of Horses with +that of dogs, shall not we find the case to be similar? will not +the origin be as uncertain in Horses as in dogs? it is true, in +some foreign countries they have long pedigrees of their Horses as +well as we, but what prooofs have they themselves of this +excellence of the blood in one Horse more than another of the same +country? I never heard they made any trial of their Horses in the +racing way, but if they did, their decision would be as uncertain +as ours with respect to the blood, because their decision must be +determined by events alone, and therefore, by no means a proper +foundation whereon to build a system, or establish a fact, which +can be accounted for by causes. + +The jockeys have an expression which, if this system be true, is +the most senseless imaginable: I have heard it often said, Such a +Horse has speed enough if his heart do but lie in the right place. +In answer to this, let us consider a Horse as a piece of animated +machinery (for it is in reality no other); let us set this piece +of machinery going, and strain the works of it; if the works are +are** not analogous to each other, will not the weakest give way? +and when that happens, will not the whole be out of tune? But if +we suppose a piece of machinery, whose works bear a true +proportion and analogy to each other, these will bear a greater +stress, will act with greater force, more regularity and +continuance of time. If it be objected, that foreign Horses seldom +race themselves, and therefore it must be in the blood, I think +nothing more easily answered; for we seldom see any of these +Horses sent us from abroad, especially from Arabia, but what are +more or less disproportioned, crooked, and deformed in some part +or other; and when we see this deformity of shape, can we any +longer wonder at their inability of racing: add to this, many of +them are perhaps full-aged before they arrive in this kingdom; +whereas, it is generally understood, that a proper training from +his youth is necessary to form a good racer. + +But be this as it will, let us consider how it happens, that these +awkward, cross-shaped, disproportioned Horses, seemingly contrary +to the laws of nature, beget Horses of much finer shapes than +themselves, as we daily see produced in this Kingdom. And here I +acknowledge myself to have been long at a loss how to account for +this seeming difficulty. + +I have been often conversant with travelers, concerning the nature +and breed of these Horses; few of whom could give any account of +the matter, from having had no taste therein, or any delight in +that animal: but, at length, I became acquainted with a gentleman +of undoubted veracity; whose word may be relied on, whose taste +and judgment in Horses inferior to no man's. + +He says, that having spent a considerable part of his life at +Scanderoon and Alleppo**, he frequently made excursions amongst +the Arabs; excited by curiosity, as well as to gratify his +pleasures. (The Arabs, here meant, are subjects of the grand +seignior**, and receive a stipend from that court, to keep the +wild Arabs in awe, who are a fierce banditti**, and live by +plunder.) He says also, that these stipendiary Arabs are a very +worthy set of people, exactly resembling another worthy set of +people we have in England called Lawyers; for that they receive +fees from both parties; and when they can do it with impunity, +occasionally rob themselves. These Arabs encamp on the deserts +together in large numbers, and with them moves all their +houshold**; that these people keep numbers of greyhound, for the +sake of coursing the game and procuring their subsistance: and +that he has often been with parties for the sake of coursing +amongst those people, and continued with them occasionally for a +considerable space of time. That by them you are furnished with +dogs and horses; for the use of which you give them a reward. He +says they live all together; men, horses, dogs, colts, women, and +children. That these colts, having no green herbage to feed upon +when taken from the mare, are brought up by hand, and live as the +children do; and that the older Horses have no other food, than +straw and choped** barley, which these Arabs procure from the +villages most adjacent to their encampments. The colts, he says, +run about with their dams on all expeditions, till weaned; for +that it is the custom of the Arabs to ride their mares, as +thinking them the fleetest, and not their horses; from whence we +may infer, that the mare colts are best fed and taken care of. +That if you ask one of these banditti to sell his mare, his answer +is, that on her speed depends his own head. He says also, the +stone colts are so little regarded, that it is difficult to find a +Horse of any tolerable size and shape amongst them. + +If this then is the case, shall we be any longer at a loss to +account for the deformity of an animal, who, from his infancy, is +neglected, starved, and dried up, for want of juices? or shall we +wonder that his offspring, produced in a land of plenty, of whom +the greatest care is taken, who is defended from the extremity of +heat and cold, whose food is never limited, and whose vessels are +filled with the juices of the sweetest herbage, shall we wonder, I +say, that his offspring, so brought up, should acquire a more +perfect shape and size than his progenitor? or if the Sire is not +able to race, shall we wonder that the Son, whose shape is more +perfect, should excel his Sire in all performances? + +But there is another reason why many of the very finest of these +foreign Horses cannot race: our observations of them will shew us, +that though their shoulders in general exceedingly incline +backwards, yet their fore-legs stand very much under them; but in +different Horses this position is more or less observable. This, +(when I considered the laws of nature) appeared to me the greatest +imperfection a Stallion could possibly have: but when this +gentleman informed me it was the custom of the Turks always to +keep each fore-leg of the Horse chained to the hinder one, of each +side, when not in action, I no longer considered it as a natural, +but an acquired imperfection. Shall we now wonder that such an +one, though ever so well made in other respects, cannot race in +spite of all his blood? But the custom of the Arabs in this +respect, he says, his memory does not extend to. I well remember +this to be the case of the Godolphin Arabian when I saw him, who +stood bent at knees, and with his fore-legs trembling under him: +such is the case of Mosco's grey Horse in some degree. In our +country we frequently see Horses stand pawing their litter under +them with their fore-feet; our custom to prevent it is to put +hobbles on their fore-legs, and this will produce the same +position in a greater or less degree, though not so conspicuous as +in some of those foreign Horses, who have been habituated from +their youth to this confined method of standing. His royal +highness the duke of Cumberland has a very remarkable instance of +this, in a Horse called Muley Ishmael, which is otherwise, the +most elegant Horse I ever yet beheld. Whether this positiion is +natural or acquired, will be best determined by his produce. +Suppose now this Horse should be tried, and found no racer, shall +he be condemned as a Stalliion, and the fault imputed to his +blood; or on the other hand, if his colts are strait** upon their +legs, and found to be good racers, shall the perfection of such +colt be imputed to the blood of the father, when we can account +for speed in the one, and the want of it in the other, from the +different attitude of each Horse? We are further acquainted, that +the Horses we call Turks, are in reality Arabs; that the true +Turkish Horse, is a large, heavy, majestic animal, of no speed, +designed to ride on for state and grandeur; that it is the custom +of the bashaws in Arabia occasionally to choose, from their +provinces, such colts as they like, and send them to the grand +seignior's stables which they do at their own price, and which the +Arabs, who breed them, look upon as a very great hardship. These +colts are again picked and culled, after having been some time in +the grand seignior's stables, and the refuse disposed of at his +pleasure, so that the fine Horses found in the possession of the +Turks, are either some of these which are cast from the grand +seignior's stables, or which the Turks buy from the Arabs whilst +they are young. And he farther acquaints us with the reason why +the Turks choose these Arabian Horses when young, because, if +continued long in the hands of the Arabs, they are small, stunted, +and deformed in shape; whereas, when brought into Turkey, a land +of greater plenty than the deserts of Arabia, they acquire a +greater perfection both of size and shape. Now, whether these +Turks and Arabs are of the same or different extraction, may +perhaps be very little to our pourpose; but it is absurd to +suppose that providence has bestowed a virtue on a part only of +this species produced in any one country, (which species was +undoubtedly designed for the use of man) and that mankind should +not be able, in any age, to determine with precision this virtue, +or fix any criterion, whereby to judge with any certainty. + +Seeing then, this is the case, how shall we account for the +various perfection and imperfection in the breed of these foreign +Horses; for we perceive it not determined to those of Turkey, +Barbary, or Arabia, but from each of these countries some good, +some bad Stallions are sent us? What shall we do? Shall we +continue to impute it to the good old phrase of blood, the +particular virtue of which, no man ever yet could ascertain, in +any one particular instance, since Horses were first created? or +shall we say that nature has given these foreign Horses a finer +texture, a finer attitude, and more power than any other Horses we +know of; and that these very Horses, and their descendants always +did, and always will surpass each other in speed and bottom, +according to theit different degrees of power, shape, elegance, +and proportion? But there is also a certain length determined to +some particular parts of this animal, absolutely necessary to +velocity, of the particularity and propriety of which length, all +jockeys appear to be intirely** ignorant, from the latitude of +their expression, which is that a racer must have length +somewhere. + +If I might now be allowed to give my opinion of this propriety of +length, I should say it consisted in the depth and declivity of +the shoulders, and in the length of the quarters and thighs, and +the insertion of the muscles thereof. The effect of the different +position or attitude of the shoulders in all Horses, is very +demonstrable: if we consider the motion of a shoulder, we shall +find it limited to a certain degree by the ligamentous and the +tendinous parts, which confine it to its proper sphere of acting; +so that if the shoulder stand upright, the Horse will not be able +to put his toes far before him, but will acquire only such a +particular degree of space at each step or movement; but if the +shoulders have a declivity in them, he cannot only put his toes +farther before him, but a greater purchase of ground will be +obtained at every stroke. + +The certainty of this effect in the declivity of the shoulders +will be known by every man's observation; and it is also easily +demonstrated by the principles of mechanics, by which we learn, +that if a weight is applied to a pulley, in order to shut a door, +and that weight be allowed to fall immediately and perpendicularly +from the door, it will not pull it too with that velocity as it +will do if an angle be acquired, and the weight pass over a wheel +removed to a very little distance from the door. + +Nevertheless, there is no general rule without exception, for we +now and then find a Horse to be a good racer, who has not this +declivity in his shoulders, but from a length in his thighs and +quarters has a sufficient share of speed. Add to this, there is +another advantage obtained to the Horse besides velocity by this +declivity of the shoulders, for his weight is removed farther +back, and placed more in the center of his body, by which an +equilibrium is acquired, and every muscle bears a more equal share +of weight and action; so that the nearer the articulation of the +quarters approach to the superior part of the shoulders, so much +the shorter will the back be, and as much more expanded as the +chest is, so much stronger will the animal be, and will also have +a larger space for the organs of respiration to exert themselves. + +But I would not be understood to mean, that the shortness of the +back, or capacity of the chest, will constitute a racer; far from +it: but that in any given and proportioned length, from the bosom +of the Horse to the settting on of the dock, the nearer the +superior points of the shoulders approach to the quarters, so much +better able will the carcase be to sustain and bring through the +weight; and as much as the shoulders themselves prevail in depth, +and the quarters and thighs in length, so much greater will be the +velocity of the Horse, because a greater purchase of ground is +hereby obtained at every stroke. + +It is by this proprity of length, strength of carcase, and the +power of the muscles, that foreign Horse excel all others, and it +is by the same advantages they excel each other also, and not by +any innate virtue, or principle of the mind, which must be +understood by the word blood, if any thing at all is intended to +be understood by it; and this is a truth every man would be +convinced of, if he would divest himself of partiality to +particular blood, and confide in his own observation of Horses and +their performances. + +Sedbury was an instance of this great power, in whom we find all +the muscles rising very luxuriant, and with a remarkable +prominence. The famous Childers was a like instance of it. These +two Horses were remarkably good, but we have been absurd enough to +condemn the blood of both at various times; in one, because he had +bad feet, and entailed that defect on the generality of his +offspring; in the other, because most people who bred from that +lineage, were running mad after a proper cross, when they should +have been employed in thinking only of propriety of shape. + +I am very far from desireing to be thought a superior judge of +this animal, but I will be bold to say, that according to these +principles of length and power, there never was a Horse (at least +that I have seen) so well entitled to get racers as the Godolphin +Arabian; for whoever has seen this Horse, must remember that his +shoulders were deeper, and lay farther into his back, than any +Horse's ever yet seen; behind the shoulders, there was but a very +small space; before , the muscles of his loins rose excessively +high, broad, and expanded, which were inserted into his quarters +with greater strength and power than in any Horse I believe ever +yet seen of his dimensions. If we now consider the plainness of +his head and ears, the position of his fore-legs, and his stinted +growth, occasioned by the want of food in the country where he was +bred, it is not to be wondered at, that the excellence of this +Horse's shape, which we see only in miniature, and therefore +imperfectly, was not so manifest and apparent to the perception of +some men as of others. + +It has been said, that the sons of the Godolphin Arabian had +better wind than other Horses, and that this perfection of the +wind was in the blood. But when we consider any Horse thus +mechanically made, whose leavers acquire more purchase, and whose +powers are stronger than his adversaries, such a Horse will be +enabled by this superiority of mechanism, to act with greater +facility, and therefore it is no wonder that the organs of +respiration (if not confined or straitened more than his +adversaries) should be less fatigued. Suppose now, we take ten +mares of the same, or different blood, all which is held equally +good, when the Mares are covered, and have been esteemed so long +before, and put to this Godolphin Arabian, let us suppose some of +the colts to be good racers, and others very inferior to them; +shall we condemn the blood of these mares which produced the +inferior Horses? If so, we shall never know what good blood is, or +where it is to be found, or ever act with any certainty in the +propagation of this species, and it is this ridiculous opinion +alone of blood, that deceives mankind so much in the breed of +racers. If we ask the jockey the cause of this difference in the +performance of these brothers, he (willing to account some how for +it) readily answers, that the blood did not nick; but will a wise +and reasoning man, who seriously endeavours to account for this +difference, be content with such a vague, unmeaning answer, when, +by applying his attention to matters of fact, and his observation +to the different mechanism of these brothers, the difference of +their performance is not only rationally, but demonstratively +accounted for? + +But if this excellence of the racer should really be in the blood, +or what is called the proper nicking of it, I must say, it is a +matter of great wonder to me, that the blood of the Godolphin +Arabian, who was a confined Stallion, and had but few Mares, +should nick so well as to produce so many excellent racers; and +that the blood of his son Cade, who has had such a number of +Mares, and those, perhaps, the very best in the kingdom, should +not nick any better than it seems to have done; for I do not +conceive the performances of the sons of Cade to have been equal +in any respect to the sons of the Godolphin Arabian; though I do +not pretend to determine this myself, but shall leave it to the +opinion of mankind. + +The question then is, whether this excellence of Horses is in the +blood or the mechanism; whoever is for blood, let him take two +brothers of any sort or kind, and breed one up in plenty, the +other upon a barren heath; I fancy he will find, that a different +mechanism of the body will be acquired to the two brothers by the +difference of their living, and that the blood of him brought up +on the barren heath, will not be able to contend with the +mechanism of the other, brought up in a land of plenty. Now if +this difference of shape will make a difference in the performance +of the animal, it will be just the same thing in its consequences, +whether this imperfection of shape be produced by scarcity of +foot, or entailed by the laws of nature; if so, does it signify +whether the colt be got by Turk, Barb, or what kind of blood his +dam be of? or where shall we find one certain proof of the +efficacy of blood in any Horse produced in any age or any country, +independent of the laws of mechanics. + +If it should be urged, that these foreign Horses get better colts +than their descendants, that therefore the blood of foreign ones +is best, I answer, no; for that according to the number of foreign +Stallions we have had in this kingdom, there have been more +reputed and really bad than good ones, which would not happen in +the case of Horses, who come from the same country, and are of the +same extraction, if this goodness was in the blood only. But the +true reason why foreign Horses get better colts than their +descendants, if they do get better, is that (mechanism alike) +their descendants from which we breed, are generally such Horses +as have been thoroughly tried, consequently much strained, and +gone through strong labour and fatigue; whereas the foreign Horse +has perhaps seldom or never known what labour was; for we find the +Turk a sober grave person, always riding a foot pace, except on +emergencies, and the Arab prefering his Mare to his Horse for use +and service. As a proof of this truth, let us take two sister +hound bitches, and ward them both with the same dog; let us +suppose one bitch to have run in the pack, and the other by some +accident not to have worked at all, it will be found that the +offspring of her who has never worked, will be much superior to +the offspring of her who has run in the pack. + +All I have now to ask of my brother jockeys is, that for the +future, when speaking of these Horses, they will, instead of the +phrase HIGH-BRED, say only well-bred, and that they will not even +then be understood to mean any thing more by it, than that they +are descended from a race of Horses, whose actions have +established their goodness: and that I may have leave to prefer my +opinion of the mechanical powers of a Horse, to all their opinions +concerning blood, which is in reality no more than a vain chimera. +If these things are so, have not we and our fore-fathers been +hoodwinked all our days by the prevalence of a ridiculous custom, +and the mistaken system, when by consulting our own reason and +understanding, this mist of error had fled before it? If this +mechanical power was considered as it ought to be, it would excite +a proper emulation amongst all breeders: and when the excellence +in the breed of Horses was found to be the effect of judgment, and +not of chance, there would be more merit as well as more pleasure +in having bred a superior Horse. Add to this, mankind by applying +their attention to this mechanism of animals, would improve their +judgment in the laws of nature, and it would not only produce a +much better breed of racers than any we have yet seen, but the +good of it would extend to all sorts of Horses throughout the +kingdom of what kind soever. It is a cruel thing to say, but yet a +very true one, that amongst the present breed of Horses in this +nation, a man of any tolerable judgment can hardly find one in +fifty fit for his purpose, whether designed to draw or ride; +whereas if the purchasers would endeavour to make themselves +masters of this mechanism, the breeders of every kind of Horses +must consult it also, or keep their useless ones in their own +hands, which I conceive would be a proper punishment for their +ignorance. + +And now the author appeals not to the illiterate and unlearned +(whose obstinacy is too great to receive insturction, and whose +prejudices are too strong to be obliterated by any reasons) but to +the candid and impartial inquiry of reasoning and unprejudiced men +into these principles, and hopes this may be a means of exciting +some more able pen, to vindicate a truth so many ages buried in +darkness. If aught conducive to the pleasure or use of manking +shall accrue from these hints, he will think himself happy; on the +other hand, if the principles ehre advanced should prove +erroneous, and any man be kind enough to point out the fallacy of +them, he will kiss the rod with chearfulness** and submission. + +FINIS. + + + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, A DISSERTATION ON HORSES *** + +This file should be named dhors10.txt or dhors10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, dhors11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, dhors10a.txt + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN EBOOKS*Ver.02/11/02*END* + diff --git a/old/2004-05-dhors10.zip b/old/2004-05-dhors10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a75053b --- /dev/null +++ b/old/2004-05-dhors10.zip diff --git a/old/2004-05-dhors10h.htm b/old/2004-05-dhors10h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f686fe2 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/2004-05-dhors10h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1159 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"> + +<HTML> +<HEAD> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> + <TITLE>A Dissertation on Horses, William Osmer</TITLE> +</HEAD> +<BODY> +<h1>The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Dissertation on Horses, by William Osmer</h1> + +<pre>Copyright laws are changing all over the world. 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You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: A Dissertation on Horses + +Author: William Osmer + +Release Date: May, 2004 [EBook #5710] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on August 13, 2002] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, A DISSERTATION ON HORSES *** + + + + +This eBook was produced by Holly Ingraham +</pre> +<p> +Summary: Osmer shows us, by what he argues against, the primitive state of +horse-breeding in England where a superstitious belief in bloodline with no +attention to conformation rules. This is difficult for the modern +reader to even +visualize, after the late 19th century development of conformation norms for +all breeds of animal. Notable for a description of horse raising and use among +the nomad Arabs, evidence of the survival of the ancient Nisaean breed in +Turkey, and stories of the Godolphin Arabian.<P> +<BR> +Transcriber's Note: I have retained most of the original spellings, +as it may be +valuable to see how such things have changed over the centuries. These odd +spellings are marked with a double asterisk (**) not referencing any sort of +note. The use of capitalization or all-caps is as in the original.<P> +<BR> +<BR> +A <BR> +DISSERTATION <BR> +on <BR> +HORSES:<BR> +wherein it is demonstrated, by Matters of Fact, as well as from the +Principles of +Philosophy, that INNATE QUALITIES do not exist, and that the excellence of +this Animal is altogether mechanical and not in the Blood.</P> + +<P>By WILLIAM OSMER</P> + +<P><BR> +A Dissertation on Horses</P> + +<P>Whoever supposes that Mess. Heber and Pond, or even Mr. John Cheney, were +the first who published accounts of Horse-racing, will find himself much +mistaken, for there lived others above a hundred years before them, who not +only published accounts of Horse-racing, but acquainted us with the history of +the wrestling, backsword-playing, boxing, and even foot-racing, that happened +in their days; and from them we learn also who were the victors, and how the +racers came in.</P> + +<P>Amongst these, lived a man whose name was Homer, a blind or obscure man +(for they are synonimous** terms) who occasionally published his book of +sports, and to him we are obliged also for the pedigree of many Horses that +were esteemed the best in his time. This man was said to be poor, in little +esteem, and to travel about the country to sell his books; but though his +circumstances were very low, his understanding, it seems, was not, for he +always took care to pay his court to the great personages wherever he came, +and to flatter them in the blood of their Horses. But though he was little +esteemed in his life-time, yet his book of pedigrees and genealogy of +Horses was +thought so useful, that he was greatly honoured for it after his death. And +what is more strange, though the place of his nativity was unknown, and no +country would receive him as a member of their community when living, yet +when dead, many nations contended for the honour of it; but whatever +arguments each country may produce for the support of its claim, nothing is +more evident than that he was an Englishman; and there is great reason to +believe he was born somewhere in the North, though I do not take upon me to +say it absolutely was so. His partiality however, to that part of the +kingdom, is +manifest enough, for he pretended to say, that a good racer could be bred in no +place but the North; whereas, late experience has proved that to be a very idle +notion. But as the northern gentlemen were the first breeders of racing Horses, +so it is very probably they were also the first subscribers to his +book, and then +we shall find his partiality might arise, either from his gratitude to these +gentlemen, or from its being the place of his nativity, or perhaps +from both.</P> + +<P>There was in the North in his time, a very famous Stallion called Boreas: +Whether the present breeders have any of that blood left, I do not certainly +know; but Homer, to flatter the owner, who was a subscriber to his book, and +always gave him two half guineas instead of one, fabled that this same Boreas +begot his colts as fleet as the wind. This to be sure will be looked upon as +nothing more than a matter of polite partiality to his benefactor: But it is +much to be feared, this partiality has not been confined to persons alone; for +there is reason to believe, that in many cases, he has varied the true pedigree +of his Horses, and (not unlike our modern breeders) has left out one cross that +has been thought not good, and substituted another in its room held more +fashionable.</P> + +<P>We have an account in one of his books, (I forget the year when it was +published) of a very famous chariot-race, that was run over Newmarket between +five noblemen; and though it was the custom at that time to run with a +two-wheeled chaise and pair only, instead of four, we find all other customs +nearly the same. The names of the Horses are given us, their pedigrees, and the +names of the drivers; the course is marked out, judges appointed, betts** +offered, but no crossing or jostling allowed; a plain proof they depended on +winning from the excellence of their Horses alone. But though a curricle and +pair was then the fashion, there lived at that time a strange mad kind of +fellow, haughty and overbearing, determined that no body should do anything +like himself, who always drove three; and though the recital of this +circumstance may be considered as trivial, or little to the purpose, we shall +find something in the story worth our attention, and with respect to Horses, a +case very singular, such a one as no history, no tradition, nor our own +experience has ever furnished us with a similar instance of.</P> + +<P>It seems these three Horses were so good that no Horses in the kingdom would +match them. Homer, after having been very lavish in their praise, has given us +their names, and the pedigree of two of them, which it seems were full +brothers. He tells us, they were as swift as the wind, and in his bombast** way +of writing, says they were immortal; which expression is exactly of the same +style and meaning with our modern phrase high-bred, and could mean nothing +else, because in the recital of the pedigree, he tells us, they were +got by this +same North-country Horse before mentioned, called Boreas, and out of a flying +Mare called Podarge. But the singularity of this case is, that the third Horse, +whom he calls Pedasus**, was absolutely a common Horse, and of no blood. +Here I beg leave to make use of Mr. Pope's words, who, in his translation, +speaking of those Horse, says thus:</P> + +<P>"Who like in strength, in swiftness, and in grace,<BR> +"A mortal courser match'd th'immortal race."</P> + +<P>Now as nothing is more certain, than that no Horses but those of blood can +race in our days, I have long been endeavouring to find the true reason of this +singular instance, and cannot any way account for it, but by supposing this +equality of strength and elegance might produce an equality of swiftness. This +consideration naturally produced another, which is, that the blood of all +Horses may be merely ideal; and if so, a word of no meaning. But before I +advance any thing more on this hypothesis, and that I may not be guilty of +treason against the received laws of jockey-ship, I do here lay it down as a +certain truth, that no Horses but such as come from foreign countries, or +which are of extraction totally foreign, can race. In this opinion +every man will +readily join me, and this opinion will be confirmed by every man's experience +and observation.</P> + +<P>But in discussing this point, I shall beg leave, when speaking of these Horses, +to change the word HIGH-BRED, and in its room substitute the word +foreigner, or of foreign extraction. For perhaps it may appear, that the +excellence we find in these Horses depends totally on the mechanism of their +parts, and not in their blood; and that all the particular distinctions and +fashions thereof, depend also on the whim and caprice of mankind.</P> + +<P>If we take a Horse bred for the cart, and such a one as we call a hunter, and a +horse of foreign extraction, and set them together, the meanest judge will +easily point out the best racer, from the texture, elegance, and symmetry of +their parts, without making any appeal to blood. Allow but a difference in the +texture, elegance, and symmetry of parts in different Horses, whose extraction +is foreign, this principle will be clearly proved, and the word HIGH BRED is of +no use, but to puzzle and lead us astray: and every man's daily observation +would teach him, if he was not lost in this imaginary error, particular blood, +that, generally speaking, such Horses who have the finest texture, elegance of +shape, and the most proportion, are the best racers, let their blood be of what +kind it will, always supposing it to be totally foreign. If I was asked what +beauty was, I should say proportion: if I was asked what strength was, I should +say proportion also: but I would not be understood to mean, that this strength +and beauty alone will constitute a racer, for we shall find a proper +length also +will be wanted for the sake of velocity; and that moreover the very constituent +parts of foreign Horses differ as much from all others, as their performances. +But this, however, will be found a truth; that in all Horses of every kind, +whether designed to draw or ride, this principle of proportion will +determine the +principle of goodness; at least to that part of it which we call bottom. On the +other hand, our daily observation will shew us, that no weak, loose, +disproportioned Horse, let his blood be what it will, ever yet was a +prime racer. +If it be objected, that many a plain ugly Horse has been a good racer; I answer +that all goodness is comparative; and that such Horses who have been winners +of plates about the country, may be improperly called good racers, when +compared to some others: but I can even allow a very plain Horse to be a prime +racer, without giving up the least part of this system: for instance if we +suppose a Horse (with a large head and long ears, like the Godolphin Arabian) +a low mean forehand, slat sided, and goose rumped, this, I guess, will be +allowed a plain ugly Horse; but yet if such a Horse be strong, and justly made +in those parts which are immediately conducive to action; if his shoulders +incline well backwards, his legs and joints in proportion, his carcase strong +and deep, his thighs well let down, we shall find he may be a very good racer, +even when tried by the principles of mechanics, without appealing to his blood +for any part of his goodness. We are taught by this doctrine of mechanics, that +the power applied to any body, must be adequate to the weight of that body, +otherwise, such power will be deficient for the action we require; and there is +no man but knows a cable or chord of three inches diameter is not equal in +strength to a chord of four inches diameter. So that if it should be +asked why a +handsome coach Horse, with as much beauty, length, and proportion as a +foreign Horse, will not act with the same velocity and perseverance, nothing +will be more easily answered, without appealing to blood; because we shall find +the powers of acting in a foreign Horse much more prevalent, and more equal +to the weight of his body, than the powers of acting in a coach Horse: for +whoever has been curious enough to examine the mechanism of different +Horses by dissection, will find the tendon of the leg in a foreign Hose is much +larger than in any other Horse, whose leg is of the same dimensions; and as +the external texture of a foreign Horse is much finer than of any other, so the +foreign Horse must necessarily have the greatest strength and perseverance in +acting, because the muscular power of two Horses (whose dimensions are the +same) will be the greatest in that Horse, whose texture is the finest.</P> + +<P>Let us next inquire what information we can gather from the science of +Anatomy, concerning the laws of motion: it teaches us, that the force and +power of a muscle consists in the number of fibres of which it is composed; and +that the velocity and motion of a muscle consists in the length and extent of +its fibres. Let us compare this doctrine with the language of the +jockey: he tells +us, if a Horse has not length, he will be slow; and if made to slender, he will +not be able to bring his weight through. Does not the observation of the jockey +exactly correspond with this doctrine? If we now inquire into the motion of +Horses, we shall find the bones are the levers of the body, and the tendons and +muscles (which are one and the same thing) are the powers of acting applied to +these levers. Now when we consider a half-bred Horse running one mile or +more, with the same velocity as a Horse of foreign extraction, we do not impute +that equality of velocity to any innate quality in the half-bred Horse, because +we can account for it by external causes: that is by an equality of the length, +and extent of his levers and tendons. And when we consider a half-bred Horse +running one mile, or more, with the same velocity as the other, and then giving +it up, what shall we do? shall we say the foreigner beats him by his +blood, or by +the force and power of his tendons? or can we, without reproaching our own +reason and understanding, impute that to be the effect of occult and hidden +causes in the one of these instances and not in the other? both of which are +demonstrated with certainty, and reduced to facts by the knowledge of anatomy +and the principles of mechanics.</P> + +<P>How many instances have we of different Horses beating each other alternately +over different sorts of ground! how often do we see short, close, +compact Horses +beating others of a more lengthened shape, over high and hilly coursed, as well +as deep and slippery ground; in the latter of which, the blood is esteemed much +better, and whose performances in general are much better!</P> + +<P>And how comes it to pass that Horses of a more lengthened shape, have a +superiority over Horses of a shorter make, upon level and flat courses? Is this +effected by the difference of their mechanical powers, or is it affected by the +blood? if, by the latter, then this blood is not general, but partial +only, which +no reasoning man will be absurd enough to allow. But I much fear our +distinctions of good and bad blood are determined with much partiality; for +every jockey has his particular favourite blood, of which he judges +from events, +success, or prejudice: else, how comes it to pass, that we see the different +opinions and fashions of blood varying daily! nay, we see the very same blood +undergoing the very same fate; this year rejected, the next in the highest +esteem; or this year in high repute, the next held at nothing. How many +changes has the blood of Childers undergone! once the best, then the worst, +now good again! Where are the descendants of Bay Bolton, that once were the +terror of their antagonists! Did these prevail by the superiority of +their blood, +or because their power and their fabric was superior to the Horses of their +time? If any one ask why Danby Cade was not as good a racer as any in the +kingdom, the jockey could not impute this defect to his blood; but if it should +be imputed to his want of proportion, surely it might be held for a true and +satisfactory reason. How many revolutions of fame and credit, have all +sportsmen observed in these HIGH-BRED families.</P> + +<P>Numberless are the examples of this kind which might be quoted, but to +account for this, one says, The blood is wore out for want of a proper cross; +another tells us, That after having been long in this climate, the blood +degenerates; but these reasons cannot be true, because we see the off-spring of +all crosses, and of the most antient** families, occasionally triumphant over +the sons of the very latest comers, the error then will not be found in the +blood, or in the proper crossing; but the defect will be produced by the +erroneous judgment of mankind, in putting together the male and female with +improper shapes; and while we are lost and blinded by an imaginary good, the +laws of nature stand revealed; and we by paying a proper attention thereto, and +employing our judgment therein, might wipe this ignis fatuus from the mind, +and fix the truth on a sure foundation. Our observation shews us, that on the +one hand, we may breed Horses of foreign extraction too delicate, and too +slight for any labour; and on the other hand, so coarse and clumsy, as to be +fitter for the cart than the race. Shall we then wonder these cannot race, or +shall we doubt that degrees of imperfection in the mechanism, will produce +degrees of imperfection in racing! and when we find such deficient, shall we +ridiculously impute it to a degeneracy of that blood, which once was in the +highest esteem, or to the want of judgment in him who did not properly adapt +the shapes of their progenitors!</P> + +<P>Shall we confess this, or is the fault in nature? For though most philosophers +agree, that innate principles do not exist, yet we know for certain, +that in the +brute creation, whose food is plain and simple, (unlike luxurious man) the +laws of nature are, generally speaking, invariable and determined. If it should +be asked why the sons of the Godolphin Arabian were superior to most Horses +of their time; I answer, because he had a great power and symmetry of parts, +(head excepted) and a propriety of length greatly superior to all +other Horses of +the same diameter, that have been lately seen in this kingdom; which I do not +assert on my own judgment, but on the opinion of those who, I believe, +understand Horses much better than I pretend to do: and 'tis very probable, +this Horse, if he had not been confined to particular Mares, might have begot +better racers than any he did. On the contrary, I have heard it urged in behalf +of his blood, that he was a very mean Horse in figure, and that he was kept as +a teizer** some years before he covered. What does this prove? I think nothing +more, than that his first owner did not rightly understand this kind of Horse, +and that different men differed in their opinions of this Horse's fabric. </P> + +<P>If any man who doubts this excellence to be in the blood, should ask how it +came to pass that we often see two full brothers, one of which is a good racer, +the other indifferent, or perhaps bad, I know of but two answers that can be +given; we must either allow this excellence of the blood to be +partial, or else we +must say, that by putting together a Horse and a Mare, different in their +shapes, a foetus may be produced of a happy form at one time, and at another +the foetus partaking more or less of the shape of either, may not be so happily +formed. Which shall we do? shall we impute this difference of goodness in the +two brothers, to the difference of their mechanism? or shall we say this +perfection of the blood is partial? If the latter, then we must own +that blood is +not to be relied on, but that the system of it, and whatever is built on that +foundation, is precarious and uncertain, and therefore falls to the +ground of its +own accord. Whilst this continues to be the rule of breeding, I mean of putting +male and female together, with no consideration but that of blood and a proper +cross, it is no wonder so few good racers are produced, no wonder mankind are +disappointed in their pleasures and expectations; for this prejudice does not +only extend to blood, but even to the very names of the breeders, and the +country where the Horses are bred, though it is beyond all doubt, that the +North claims the preference of all other places in this kingdom; but that +preference is allowed only from the multiplicity of Mares and +Stallions in those +parts, and from the number of racers there bred.</P> + +<P>I would not be thought in this to prefer my own opinion of shape and make to +the known goodness of any Stallion, but would prefer the latter before the +opinion of all mankind. What then? It is not every Horse that has been a good +racer will get good colts; some have suffered too much in their constitution by +hard and continual labour, whilst others have some natural infirmity that may +probably be entailed on their generation.</P> + +<P>But the most material thing in breeding all animals, and to which we pay the +least regard, either in the race of men or Horses, is the choice of the female, +who not only joins in the production of the foetus, but in the formation of it +also. And that the female has even the greatest share in the production of the +foetus, will be proved by this instance: if you take a dunghill cock +and put to a +game hen, and also put a brother of that game hen to a sister of the dunghill +cock, those chickens bred from the game hen will be found much superior to +those chickens bred from the dunghill hen.</P> + +<P>And here I beg leave to be allowed (without the imputation of pedantry) one +quotation from Virgil, who is supposed to have well understood the laws of +nature. In his description of the choice of animals for procreation, +in the third +chapter of his Georgic's, and the 49th verse, you will find it thus written:</P> + +<P>"Seu quis Olympiacea mieratus praemia palme,<BR> +"Pascit Equos, feu quis fortes ad aratra Juvencos,<BR> +"Corpora praecipue matrum legat."</P> + +<P>But I should not escape the censure of the critics on this occasion, +I expect the +thanks of all the handsome well-made women in the kingdom, for this hint, +who understand Latin; and where they do not, I hope their paramours will +instill the meaning of it, as deeply as they can into them. But to +return to the +breeding of Horses.</P> + +<P>We pay little regard to the mechanism of the female, or of the Horse to which +we put her, but generally choose some particular Horse for the sake of the +cross, or because he is called an Arabian; whereas, in fact, every +Stallion will +not be suited to every Mare, but he who has a fine female, and judgment +enough to adapt her shapes with propriety to a fine male, will always breed the +best racer, let the sort of blood be what it will, always supposing +it to be totally +foreign. The truth of this will be confirmed by our observation, +which shews us, +that Horses do race, and do not race, of all families and all crosses.</P> + +<P>We find also, that affinity of blood in the brute creation, if not +continued too +long in the same channel, is no impediment to the perfection of the animal, for +experience teaches us, it will hold good many years in the breed of game cocks. +Besides, we know that Childers, which was perhaps the best racer ever bred in +this kingdom, had in his veins a consanguinity of blood; his pedigree informing +us, that his great grandam was got by Spanker, the dam of which Mare was +also the dam of the said Spanker.</P> + +<P>If we inquire a little farther into the different species of the +creation, we shall +find this principle concerning perfection of shape still more verified. Amongst +game cocks we shall find, that wheresoever power and propriety of shape +prevails most, that side (condition alike) will generally prevail. We +shall find +also, that one cock perfectly made, will beat two or three of his own brothers +imperfectly made. If any man should boast of the blood of his cocks, and say +that the uncommon virtue of this animal, which we call game, is innate, I +answer no, for that all principles, and all ideas arise from sensation and +reflection, and are therefore acquired. </P> + +<P>We perceive this spirit of fighting in game chicken, which they exert +occasionally from their infancy; even so it is amongst dunghill chickens, +though not carried to that degree of perseverance.</P> + +<P>When arrived at maturity, we see these different birds will still continue to +fight if they meet; if I should be asked why the perseverance of +fighting in one +does not continue to death, as in the other, I answer, that from a different +texture of the organs of the body, different sensations will arise, and +consequently different effects be produced; and this will be proved +by instances +from the best of those very cocks which are called game, who (it is well know) +when they suffer a variation in their texture, or as cockers term it, become +rotten, run away themselves, and their descendants also; which sensation of +fear could not be produced by any alteration in the body, if this principle of +game was innate.</P> + +<P>Amongst men, do we not perceive agility and strength stand forth confessed in +the fabric of their bodies? do not even the passions and pleasures of mankind +greatly depend on the organs of their bodies? Amongst dogs, we shall find the +foxhound prevailing over all others in speed and in bottom; but if +not in speed, +in bottom at least I hope it will be allowed. To what shall we impute this +perfection in him? Shall we impute it to his blood, or to that elegance of form +in which is found no unnecessary weight to oppress the muscles, or detract +from his ability of perseverance? if to blood, from whence shall we +deduce it? or +from what origin is it derived? Surely no man means more, when he talks of +the blood of foxhounds, than to intimate that they are descended from such, +whose ancestors have been eminent for their good qualifications, and have +shone conspicuous in the front of the pack for many generations.</P> + +<P>But allowing this system of blood to exist in hounds and Horses, let us +consider how inconsistently and differently we act with respect to each; with +respect to hounds, if when arrived at maturity, we think them ill shaped and +loosely made, we at once dispose of them without any trial, well knowing they +will not answer our expectations: whereas, in Horses, let the shape be what it +will, we are persuaded to train, because the jockey says thay are very +HIGH-BRED. If we now compare the blood of Horses with that of dogs, shall +not we find the case to be similar? will not the origin be as +uncertain in Horses +as in dogs? it is true, in some foreign countries they have long pedigrees of +their Horses as well as we, but what prooofs have they themselves of this +excellence of the blood in one Horse more than another of the same country? I +never heard they made any trial of their Horses in the racing way, but if they +did, their decision would be as uncertain as ours with respect to the blood, +because their decision must be determined by events alone, and therefore, by +no means a proper foundation whereon to build a system, or establish a fact, +which can be accounted for by causes.</P> + +<P>The jockeys have an expression which, if this system be true, is the most +senseless imaginable: I have heard it often said, Such a Horse has speed +enough if his heart do but lie in the right place. In answer to this, let us +consider a Horse as a piece of animated machinery (for it is in +reality no other); +let us set this piece of machinery going, and strain the works of it; +if the works +are are** not analogous to each other, will not the weakest give way? and when +that happens, will not the whole be out of tune? But if we suppose a piece of +machinery, whose works bear a true proportion and analogy to each other, +these will bear a greater stress, will act with greater force, more +regularity and +continuance of time. If it be objected, that foreign Horses seldom race +themselves, and therefore it must be in the blood, I think nothing more easily +answered; for we seldom see any of these Horses sent us from abroad, +especially from Arabia, but what are more or less disproportioned, crooked, and +deformed in some part or other; and when we see this deformity of shape, can +we any longer wonder at their inability of racing: add to this, many +of them are +perhaps full-aged before they arrive in this kingdom; whereas, it is generally +understood, that a proper training from his youth is necessary to form a good +racer.</P> + +<P>But be this as it will, let us consider how it happens, that these awkward, +cross-shaped, disproportioned Horses, seemingly contrary to the laws of +nature, beget Horses of much finer shapes than themselves, as we daily see +produced in this Kingdom. And here I acknowledge myself to have been long at +a loss how to account for this seeming difficulty.</P> + +<P>I have been often conversant with travelers, concerning the nature and breed of +these Horses; few of whom could give any account of the matter, from having +had no taste therein, or any delight in that animal: but, at length, I became +acquainted with a gentleman of undoubted veracity; whose word may be relied +on, whose taste and judgment in Horses inferior to no man's.</P> + +<P>He says, that having spent a considerable part of his life at Scanderoon and +Alleppo**, he frequently made excursions amongst the Arabs; excited by +curiosity, as well as to gratify his pleasures. (The Arabs, here meant, are +subjects of the grand seignior**, and receive a stipend from that +court, to keep +the wild Arabs in awe, who are a fierce banditti**, and live by +plunder.) He says +also, that these stipendiary Arabs are a very worthy set of people, exactly +resembling another worthy set of people we have in England called Lawyers; for +that they receive fees from both parties; and when they can do it with +impunity, occasionally rob themselves. These Arabs encamp on the deserts +together in large numbers, and with them moves all their houshold**; that +these people keep numbers of greyhound, for the sake of coursing the game and +procuring their subsistance: and that he has often been with parties for the +sake of coursing amongst those people, and continued with them occasionally +for a considerable space of time. That by them you are furnished with dogs and +horses; for the use of which you give them a reward. He says they live all +together; men, horses, dogs, colts, women, and children. That these colts, +having no green herbage to feed upon when taken from the mare, are brought +up by hand, and live as the children do; and that the older Horses have no +other food, than straw and choped** barley, which these Arabs procure from +the villages most adjacent to their encampments. The colts, he says, run about +with their dams on all expeditions, till weaned; for that it is the +custom of the +Arabs to ride their mares, as thinking them the fleetest, and not their horses; +from whence we may infer, that the mare colts are best fed and taken care of. +That if you ask one of these banditti to sell his mare, his answer is, that on +her speed depends his own head. He says also, the stone colts are so little +regarded, that it is difficult to find a Horse of any tolerable size and shape +amongst them.</P> + +<P>If this then is the case, shall we be any longer at a loss to account for the +deformity of an animal, who, from his infancy, is neglected, starved, and dried +up, for want of juices? or shall we wonder that his offspring, produced in a +land of plenty, of whom the greatest care is taken, who is defended from the +extremity of heat and cold, whose food is never limited, and whose vessels are +filled with the juices of the sweetest herbage, shall we wonder, I +say, that his +offspring, so brought up, should acquire a more perfect shape and size than his +progenitor? or if the Sire is not able to race, shall we wonder that the Son, +whose shape is more perfect, should excel his Sire in all performances?</P> + +<P>But there is another reason why many of the very finest of these foreign Horses +cannot race: our observations of them will shew us, that though their +shoulders in general exceedingly incline backwards, yet their fore-legs stand +very much under them; but in different Horses this position is more or less +observable. This, (when I considered the laws of nature) appeared to me the +greatest imperfection a Stallion could possibly have: but when this gentleman +informed me it was the custom of the Turks always to keep each fore-leg of the +Horse chained to the hinder one, of each side, when not in action, I no longer +considered it as a natural, but an acquired imperfection. Shall we now wonder +that such an one, though ever so well made in other respects, cannot race in +spite of all his blood? But the custom of the Arabs in this respect, +he says, his +memory does not extend to. I well remember this to be the case of the +Godolphin Arabian when I saw him, who stood bent at knees, and with his +fore-legs trembling under him: such is the case of Mosco's grey Horse in some +degree. In our country we frequently see Horses stand pawing their litter under +them with their fore-feet; our custom to prevent it is to put hobbles on their +fore-legs, and this will produce the same position in a greater or less degree, +though not so conspicuous as in some of those foreign Horses, who have been +habituated from their youth to this confined method of standing. His royal +highness the duke of Cumberland has a very remarkable instance of this, in a +Horse called Muley Ishmael, which is otherwise, the most elegant Horse I ever +yet beheld. Whether this positiion is natural or acquired, will be best +determined by his produce. Suppose now this Horse should be tried, and found +no racer, shall he be condemned as a Stalliion, and the fault imputed to his +blood; or on the other hand, if his colts are strait** upon their +legs, and found +to be good racers, shall the perfection of such colt be imputed to the blood of +the father, when we can account for speed in the one, and the want of it in the +other, from the different attitude of each Horse? We are further acquainted, +that the Horses we call Turks, are in reality Arabs; that the true +Turkish Horse, +is a large, heavy, majestic animal, of no speed, designed to ride on +for state and +grandeur; that it is the custom of the bashaws in Arabia occasionally to +choose, from their provinces, such colts as they like, and send them to the +grand seignior's stables which they do at their own price, and which the Arabs, +who breed them, look upon as a very great hardship. These colts are again +picked and culled, after having been some time in the grand seignior's stables, +and the refuse disposed of at his pleasure, so that the fine Horses +found in the +possession of the Turks, are either some of these which are cast from the grand +seignior's stables, or which the Turks buy from the Arabs whilst they are +young. And he farther acquaints us with the reason why the Turks choose +these Arabian Horses when young, because, if continued long in the hands of +the Arabs, they are small, stunted, and deformed in shape; whereas, when +brought into Turkey, a land of greater plenty than the deserts of Arabia, they +acquire a greater perfection both of size and shape. Now, whether these Turks +and Arabs are of the same or different extraction, may perhaps be +very little to +our pourpose; but it is absurd to suppose that providence has bestowed a +virtue on a part only of this species produced in any one country, (which +species was undoubtedly designed for the use of man) and that mankind +should not be able, in any age, to determine with precision this virtue, or fix +any criterion, whereby to judge with any certainty.</P> + +<P>Seeing then, this is the case, how shall we account for the various perfection +and imperfection in the breed of these foreign Horses; for we perceive it not +determined to those of Turkey, Barbary, or Arabia, but from each of these +countries some good, some bad Stallions are sent us? What shall we do? Shall +we continue to impute it to the good old phrase of blood, the particular virtue +of which, no man ever yet could ascertain, in any one particular instance, +since Horses were first created? or shall we say that nature has given these +foreign Horses a finer texture, a finer attitude, and more power than any other +Horses we know of; and that these very Horses, and their descendants always +did, and always will surpass each other in speed and bottom, according to theit +different degrees of power, shape, elegance, and proportion? But +there is also a +certain length determined to some particular parts of this animal, absolutely +necessary to velocity, of the particularity and propriety of which length, all +jockeys appear to be intirely** ignorant, from the latitude of their +expression, +which is that a racer must have length somewhere. </P> + +<P>If I might now be allowed to give my opinion of this propriety of length, I +should say it consisted in the depth and declivity of the shoulders, and in the +length of the quarters and thighs, and the insertion of the muscles +thereof. The +effect of the different position or attitude of the shoulders in all +Horses, is very +demonstrable: if we consider the motion of a shoulder, we shall find it limited +to a certain degree by the ligamentous and the tendinous parts, which confine +it to its proper sphere of acting; so that if the shoulder stand upright, the +Horse will not be able to put his toes far before him, but will +acquire only such +a particular degree of space at each step or movement; but if the shoulders +have a declivity in them, he cannot only put his toes farther before him, but a +greater purchase of ground will be obtained at every stroke.</P> + +<P>The certainty of this effect in the declivity of the shoulders will be known by +every man's observation; and it is also easily demonstrated by the +principles of +mechanics, by which we learn, that if a weight is applied to a pulley, in order +to shut a door, and that weight be allowed to fall immediately and +perpendicularly from the door, it will not pull it too with that +velocity as it will +do if an angle be acquired, and the weight pass over a wheel removed to a very +little distance from the door.</P> + +<P>Nevertheless, there is no general rule without exception, for we now and then +find a Horse to be a good racer, who has not this declivity in his +shoulders, but +from a length in his thighs and quarters has a sufficient share of +speed. Add to +this, there is another advantage obtained to the Horse besides velocity by this +declivity of the shoulders, for his weight is removed farther back, and placed +more in the center of his body, by which an equilibrium is acquired, and every +muscle bears a more equal share of weight and action; so that the nearer the +articulation of the quarters approach to the superior part of the shoulders, so +much the shorter will the back be, and as much more expanded as the chest is, +so much stronger will the animal be, and will also have a larger space for the +organs of respiration to exert themselves.</P> + +<P>But I would not be understood to mean, that the shortness of the back, or +capacity of the chest, will constitute a racer; far from it: but that +in any given +and proportioned length, from the bosom of the Horse to the settting on of the +dock, the nearer the superior points of the shoulders approach to the quarters, +so much better able will the carcase be to sustain and bring through the +weight; and as much as the shoulders themselves prevail in depth, and the +quarters and thighs in length, so much greater will be the velocity +of the Horse, +because a greater purchase of ground is hereby obtained at every stroke.</P> + +<P>It is by this proprity of length, strength of carcase, and the power of the +muscles, that foreign Horse excel all others, and it is by the same advantages +they excel each other also, and not by any innate virtue, or principle of the +mind, which must be understood by the word blood, if any thing at all is +intended to be understood by it; and this is a truth every man would be +convinced of, if he would divest himself of partiality to particular blood, and +confide in his own observation of Horses and their performances.</P> + +<P>Sedbury was an instance of this great power, in whom we find all the muscles +rising very luxuriant, and with a remarkable prominence. The famous Childers +was a like instance of it. These two Horses were remarkably good, but we have +been absurd enough to condemn the blood of both at various times; in one, +because he had bad feet, and entailed that defect on the generality of his +offspring; in the other, because most people who bred from that lineage, were +running mad after a proper cross, when they should have been employed in +thinking only of propriety of shape.</P> + +<P>I am very far from desireing to be thought a superior judge of this +animal, but I +will be bold to say, that according to these principles of length and power, +there never was a Horse (at least that I have seen) so well entitled +to get racers +as the Godolphin Arabian; for whoever has seen this Horse, must remember +that his shoulders were deeper, and lay farther into his back, than any Horse's +ever yet seen; behind the shoulders, there was but a very small space; before , +the muscles of his loins rose excessively high, broad, and expanded, which were +inserted into his quarters with greater strength and power than in any Horse I +believe ever yet seen of his dimensions. If we now consider the +plainness of his +head and ears, the position of his fore-legs, and his stinted growth, +occasioned +by the want of food in the country where he was bred, it is not to be wondered +at, that the excellence of this Horse's shape, which we see only in miniature, +and therefore imperfectly, was not so manifest and apparent to the perception +of some men as of others.</P> + +<P>It has been said, that the sons of the Godolphin Arabian had better wind than +other Horses, and that this perfection of the wind was in the blood. But when +we consider any Horse thus mechanically made, whose leavers acquire more +purchase, and whose powers are stronger than his adversaries, such a Horse +will be enabled by this superiority of mechanism, to act with greater facility, +and therefore it is no wonder that the organs of respiration (if not +confined or +straitened more than his adversaries) should be less fatigued. Suppose now, we +take ten mares of the same, or different blood, all which is held equally good, +when the Mares are covered, and have been esteemed so long before, and put to +this Godolphin Arabian, let us suppose some of the colts to be good racers, and +others very inferior to them; shall we condemn the blood of these mares which +produced the inferior Horses? If so, we shall never know what good blood is, or +where it is to be found, or ever act with any certainty in the +propagation of this +species, and it is this ridiculous opinion alone of blood, that +deceives mankind +so much in the breed of racers. If we ask the jockey the cause of +this difference +in the performance of these brothers, he (willing to account some how for it) +readily answers, that the blood did not nick; but will a wise and reasoning +man, who seriously endeavours to account for this difference, be content with +such a vague, unmeaning answer, when, by applying his attention to matters +of fact, and his observation to the different mechanism of these brothers, the +difference of their performance is not only rationally, but demonstratively +accounted for?</P> + +<P>But if this excellence of the racer should really be in the blood, or what is +called the proper nicking of it, I must say, it is a matter of great +wonder to me, +that the blood of the Godolphin Arabian, who was a confined Stallion, and had +but few Mares, should nick so well as to produce so many excellent racers; and +that the blood of his son Cade, who has had such a number of Mares, and +those, perhaps, the very best in the kingdom, should not nick any better than +it seems to have done; for I do not conceive the performances of the sons of +Cade to have been equal in any respect to the sons of the Godolphin Arabian; +though I do not pretend to determine this myself, but shall leave it to the +opinion of mankind.</P> + +<P>The question then is, whether this excellence of Horses is in the blood or the +mechanism; whoever is for blood, let him take two brothers of any sort or kind, +and breed one up in plenty, the other upon a barren heath; I fancy he +will find, +that a different mechanism of the body will be acquired to the two brothers by +the difference of their living, and that the blood of him brought up on the +barren heath, will not be able to contend with the mechanism of the other, +brought up in a land of plenty. Now if this difference of shape will make a +difference in the performance of the animal, it will be just the same +thing in its +consequences, whether this imperfection of shape be produced by scarcity of +foot, or entailed by the laws of nature; if so, does it signify +whether the colt be +got by Turk, Barb, or what kind of blood his dam be of? or where shall we find +one certain proof of the efficacy of blood in any Horse produced in any age or +any country, independent of the laws of mechanics.</P> + +<P>If it should be urged, that these foreign Horses get better colts than their +descendants, that therefore the blood of foreign ones is best, I +answer, no; for +that according to the number of foreign Stallions we have had in this kingdom, +there have been more reputed and really bad than good ones, which would not +happen in the case of Horses, who come from the same country, and are of the +same extraction, if this goodness was in the blood only. But the true reason +why foreign Horses get better colts than their descendants, if they +do get better, +is that (mechanism alike) their descendants from which we breed, are generally +such Horses as have been thoroughly tried, consequently much strained, and +gone through strong labour and fatigue; whereas the foreign Horse has perhaps +seldom or never known what labour was; for we find the Turk a sober grave +person, always riding a foot pace, except on emergencies, and the Arab +prefering his Mare to his Horse for use and service. As a proof of +this truth, let +us take two sister hound bitches, and ward them both with the same dog; let +us suppose one bitch to have run in the pack, and the other by some accident +not to have worked at all, it will be found that the offspring of her who has +never worked, will be much superior to the offspring of her who has run in the +pack. </P> + +<P>All I have now to ask of my brother jockeys is, that for the future, when +speaking of these Horses, they will, instead of the phrase HIGH-BRED, say +only well-bred, and that they will not even then be understood to mean any +thing more by it, than that they are descended from a race of Horses, whose +actions have established their goodness: and that I may have leave to prefer my +opinion of the mechanical powers of a Horse, to all their opinions concerning +blood, which is in reality no more than a vain chimera. If these things are so, +have not we and our fore-fathers been hoodwinked all our days by the +prevalence of a ridiculous custom, and the mistaken system, when by +consulting our own reason and understanding, this mist of error had fled +before it? If this mechanical power was considered as it ought to be, it would +excite a proper emulation amongst all breeders: and when the excellence in the +breed of Horses was found to be the effect of judgment, and not of chance, +there would be more merit as well as more pleasure in having bred a superior +Horse. Add to this, mankind by applying their attention to this mechanism of +animals, would improve their judgment in the laws of nature, and it would not +only produce a much better breed of racers than any we have yet seen, but the +good of it would extend to all sorts of Horses throughout the kingdom of what +kind soever. It is a cruel thing to say, but yet a very true one, +that amongst the +present breed of Horses in this nation, a man of any tolerable judgment can +hardly find one in fifty fit for his purpose, whether designed to draw or ride; +whereas if the purchasers would endeavour to make themselves masters of this +mechanism, the breeders of every kind of Horses must consult it also, or keep +their useless ones in their own hands, which I conceive would be a proper +punishment for their ignorance.</P> + +<P>And now the author appeals not to the illiterate and unlearned (whose +obstinacy is too great to receive insturction, and whose prejudices are too +strong to be obliterated by any reasons) but to the candid and +impartial inquiry +of reasoning and unprejudiced men into these principles, and hopes this may +be a means of exciting some more able pen, to vindicate a truth so many ages +buried in darkness. If aught conducive to the pleasure or use of manking shall +accrue from these hints, he will think himself happy; on the other hand, if the +principles ehre advanced should prove erroneous, and any man be kind enough +to point out the fallacy of them, he will kiss the rod with chearfulness** and +submission.</P> + +<P>FINIS. +<pre> +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, A DISSERTATION ON HORSES *** + +This file should be named dhors10h.htm or dhors10h.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, dhors11h.htm +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, dhors10ah.htm + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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