Light. %5\ 



And, it is a custom, also, with some dealer?, when they wish to 

 make up Horses for sale, especially if they have been much reduced 

 in flesh, in consequence of severe work, or food deficient in nutri- 

 ment, to keep them in stables purposely darkened. For, though it 

 must be allowed that Horses, in comparison of dogs, and many 

 other animals, can scarcely be said to sleep at all, yet, a state of 

 quiescence amounting to one of extreme torpor, will be induced 

 upon such, as are kept in a dark situation, and thus^ to use a stable 

 technical, they are found to throw up flesh, faster on this account 

 But, it ought to be recollected, that the fat which they gain under 

 these circumstsances, is the fat of disease, and not of health. Because 

 though no animal can fatten, unfcss the digestive, and assimilating 

 processes, be perfectly completed, and therefore, so far, animals 

 which do fatten, must be considered in a healthy state, yet, in those 

 which are fed on nutritious diet, and purposely kept from using ex- 

 ercise, the fat is laid up, without bringing at all into play, a power 

 of the system, the most necessary of all the functions, to the stale 

 of perfect health, namely that of the voluntary muscles. So that 

 in this sense, fat animals may be considered to be ia a state of 

 disease, for if they be subjected to great exertions they are fre- 

 quently known to die, in the course of a few hours. 



And it is notorious that obesity, in the human subject, seems to 

 be incompatable with robust health, for, fat people who live luxu- 

 riously, are able to bear but little exercise, much less to endure fii- 

 tigue, or the vicissitudes of the weather. But besides being kept in 

 a state of darkness, with the view of inducing fatness, such Horses 

 not only get little or no exercise, but they are fed upon oatmeal 

 drinks, scalded bran, malt mashes, and such sorts of food^ as arft 



