SxVI1 INTRODUCTION. 
of our pafture-fields. he varieties arifing from climate, 
fituation, foil, and other lefs-known caufes, are ,obje&s in 
themfelves of curious obfervation and ftudy. The varieties, 
and fhades of difference, are almoft infinite; the difference 
in ftrength, ufefulnefs, and beauty, are no Jefs remarkable; 
and the whole of the fubject affords fcope for continual re- 
fletion, fkill in the preference, and ingenuity in the arrange- 
ment for propagation. All thefe are not only an allowable, 
but comparatively fpeaking, a worthy purfuit for the inge- 
nuity of man, to whofe care, and for whofe fervice, the 
animal in queftion feems to have been particularly deftined. 
It is not wonderful, then, that in an age’of curious en- - 
quiry and experiment men fhould be found devoting much 
of their attention to the improvement of this animal as a 
fcience.. The progrefs, fo far as it has gone, has rewarded 
both curiofity and coft. It muft be obvious to refleétion, 
that, though the ftandard of its beauty and perfeCtion be not 
eafily fixible in the géneral opinion, there are general prin- 
ciples attainable, by which comparative excellence may be 
ufefully determined; and thofe principles feem to be grow- 
ing towards maturity. There are fome particular fhapes 
and features of the animal which, at firft view, feem to chal- 
lenge a common confent, to the character of comely and 
beautiful. This diftinGtion is the more fpeedily and fully 
difcovered by thofe who, from the moft conftant habits of 
obfervation, are beft acquainted with the hidden qualities 
commonly attendant on particular fhapes and appearances ; 
but moft obfervers agree in foon pronouncing where beauty 
or deformity, fymmetry or its oppofite, remarkably appear. 
_In the variety of opinions, not yet reduced to a certain 
ftandard, it is not fettled that the greateft difpofition to the 
moft profitable fattening, in neat cattle, is proportioned to 
what is generally confidered as the moft beautiful ftructure 
of 
