FOLLY OF EARLY RISING 265 



tion and mental excitement whatever, must be had. All 

 men who are old enough to remember things as they 

 were forty years ago will say, as I do, that no such 

 needed recreation was known or enjoyed in that primitive 

 time. 



Again, a few years ago, horses were taken to exercise, 

 if not in semi-darkness, at least at four o'clock in the 

 morning in the summer, exposed to a humid and raw 

 atmosphere, thus subjecting not only themselves but the 

 poor lads who rode them, as well as the thoughtless 

 trainer who in those days was always seen with his 

 horses, to colds, influenza, and bronchial affections of 

 every description. Indeed, to this practice, no doubt, 

 can be ascribed the prevalence of illness amongst horses 

 generally, and the existence, in those days, of so many 

 confirmed roarers. To-day this is all happily changed. 

 No exercise takes place until the sun has warmed the 

 atmosphere. The time is appropriately fixed about nine 

 o'clock, before the heat is excessive : 



1 Now ere the sun advanced his burning eye, 

 The day to cheer, and night's dank dew to dry.' 



In this way the new school avoids all dampness to the 

 horses' feet, so productive of catarrh, the forerunner of 

 all disease, and often terminating fatally. The father 

 of the late Lord Shaftesbury had a great abhorrence 

 of a cold. By avoiding all risk of such a thing as 

 much as possible, he lived to a great age, and when told 

 by any friend that he was pretty well ' except a slight 

 cold,' he would reply, ' What ! would you have the 

 plague ?' This maxim should be borne in mind by those 

 who wish to escape simple ailments, as they are termed, 

 the dreadful effects of which have been shown. 



It is but fair to say that the credit of this great dis- 



