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animal creation in a state of flavery to the human race; or rather, fuperior intelligence poffeffes a natural and inherent right to domination. This is not the language of pious fraud, or the apology for an abufe; reafon evidently discovers the neceffity of fuch a dispenfation in the conftitution of the mundane

fyftem. The flightest inspection into the exifting order of things will convince us, that the prefent was intended for a life of labour, induftry, and pain; and that inferior animals could by no other means perform their given part, and contribute their share to the mass of labour and fuffering, than in a state of subjection to their superior-Man. Thus the reason of things, and a lawful neceffity, have constituted all brute creatures flaves; but they nevertheless poffefs certain natural and unalienable rights, a demonftration of which, will form the fubject of the enfuing chapter.

The Horse, from the earliest accounts, feems to have been a native of nearly all the climates of the old world; why this excellent animal was denied to the new continent, almoft all regions of which, are fo well adapted to his production and maintenance, is a difficulty not eafily folved. Whether they were, ab origine, indigenous to one particular country, whence all parts else were fupplied; or whether common' to` many, and of different races, befitting

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the nature and circumftances of each country, is a theme fit only to display the powers of imagination, in fuch an ingenious and fanciful writer as Buffon. Thus much, constant observation and experience have determined upon the matter, that the genus varies with foil and climate, that the Horfes of warm climes and dry foils, are of the trueft proportion, the finest skin, and the most generous fpirit; of course the fleeteft, and fitteft for the faddle; as we approach the north, we find them more robust, and formed with very little fymmetry of fhape; coarse-haired, hardy, and flow, fitted for draft, and the more laborious purposes of life; that the species will thrive, with proper in all habitable countries; but fucceed beft, under the temperate zones, and upon fruitful and grameniferous foils.

care,

It frequently happens, that of two hypothefes, although one only can be fimply true, yet both may lead, by different trains of argumentation, to the fame conclufion. The eafieft method, and perhaps that liable to fewest objections, is to divide the genus of Horses into two original and diftinct fpecies, or creations; the fine and speedy, and the coarse and flow. To thefe original fources, all varieties whatever may be traced; and the various intermediate degrees may alfo be influenced in fome meafure, by foil and climate; but it does not. G3 appear

appear probable, either in theory, or by analogies which might be adduced, that any length of time, or change of foil, could convert the delicate, filk-haired, flat-boned courfer of the fouthern countries, into the coarse, clumsy, round-made cart-horfe of the north of Europe.

The original countries of the two oppofite races (whether they were firft and exclufively created there, matters not to us) are the mountainous part of Arabia, and the low lands of Belgium in Europe. Arabia is the oldest breeding country (to use a familiar phrase) in the world; it has been known to poffefs a pure and unmixed race of Horses, for thousands of years; and the experience, both of ancient and modern times, has proved them to be of superior form and qualification to all other Horses upon earth. In the very early ages, the breed of Arabian Horfes was fought and dispersed over almost all Afia and Africa, and from thence to the fouthern parts of Europe; in more modern times, they have been introduced farther north, particularly into this country; and from that fource has originated our best racing blood, to which we owe thofe advantages and improvements, and that fuperiority in Horses, we fo evidently poffefs over all other

nations.

At what period of time, or by what nation, or individual, the Horfe was firft reduced to

human

human use and obedience, is a piece of intelligence which muft for ever lie hid in the impenetrable receffes of the most remote antiquity. But it is fufficient we know from their works, that the ancients, in general, were well acquainted with the various ufes to which the animal may be applied; and that many of the eastern nations, as well as the Greeks and Romans, were well fkilled in Equestrian knowledge and management. If we were not well aware of the neceffity of being upon our guard against the exaggerated relations of ancient writers, we fhould be indeed surprised at the number of Horfes faid to have been kept for purposes of luxury and parade, in those early ages. Herodotus fays, the King of Babylon maintained a ftud of fixteen thoufand mares, and eight hundred ftallions.

In our own country the breed of Horses is of much higher antiquity than any extant history, fince we are informed by Julius Cæfar, that on his firft invafion of the island, the Britons had already great numbers of them, well-trained to warlike exercises. The fpecies we may fairly prefume, to have been fuch, of all fizes, as we are likely to fee in any fruitful northern region, where it has not been improved by a mixture of the blood of the south country Horses; that is to fay, rough-coated, round-made, and with but little fymmetry, fturdy,

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fturdy, with bones comparatively foft and fpongy, and finews unendowed with any high degree of elafticity. The Romans, it is probable, contributed very little to the improvement of the British breed of Horfes, fince no traces of amendment are to be found during fo many ages. The fame may be faid of the Crusaders, who certainly had it in their power to have sent home to their own country, fome of the choicest Horses in the world, their deftination being fo near the fountain head; but they had, unhappily, objects in view, far other than those of either common utility, or common fenfe. There is but little evidence, during the early periods of our hiftory, to guide our researches, except a law of one of our Saxon monarchs, to prevent the exportation of Horses; which feems no indication of their plenty at that time, but that, perhaps, those of England were in some request in the neighbouring countries.

The first period, of any particular or mark, ed attention, to the amendment of our breed of Horses, may be dated from the reigns of Henry VII. and VIII.; but the regulations then made, and the means employed, agreeable to the genius of thofe unenlightened times, confifted of arbitrary directions and impolitic reftraints, by no means calculated to advance the intended purpose, Magiftrates were empowered

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