HORSES OF ANCIENT ARABIA 177 



very deepest interest from my youth up, owing to 

 early lessons and associations, I may be per- 

 mitted a few words on the subject. I am not 

 disposed offhand to accept the statement, and, 

 indeed, I doubt it. I feel it the more necessary 

 to allude to it because in its support it has been 

 suggested that the Arabs had no horses even at 

 the time of Mahomet, who it is also said had 

 no horses ; and so it is contended that the whole 

 of the story about the Arab horse is a myth, the 

 dream of some stupid poets. Indeed, many people 

 believe this. It is strange what some people will 

 believe ! 



I may be the more excused for doubting the 

 statements referred to because there is by no means 

 unanimity of opinion amongst the students of such 

 questions, and all has not yet been learned of the 

 truth of the subject. 



Discoveries are being made daily which upset our 

 yesterday's knowledge, and rival professors alter- 

 nately differ and agree. It has been said of Pro- 

 fessor Stubbs, for example : 



' Where from alternate tubs 

 Stubbs butters Freeman, 

 Freeman butters Stubbs ;' 



and by Professor Stubbs : 



' Froude informs the Scottish youth 

 That parsons have no care for truth, 

 While Canon Kingsley loudly cries 

 That history is a pack of lies.' 



12 



