THE HORSE. 57 



it was not the practice among the ancients to shoe the horse, as is 

 now done. For this reason, the strength and firmness, and solidi- 

 ty of its hoof were of much greater importance with them than with 

 us, and were esteemed one of the first praises of a fine horse. The 

 latter of the above cited passages may receive illustration from the 

 following remark : ' The Arabs signify the soundess of the feet of 

 grey horses, by an Arabian adage, which indicates that if a caval- 

 cade be passing through a stony country, the grey horses will break 

 the stones with their feet ; this opinion appears founded on expe- 

 rience, for in the Atlas mountain, in some parts of Suse, and in all 

 harsh stony districts, we find a much greater proportion of grey 

 horses than of any other color ; their feet are so hardy, that I have 

 known them to travel two days' journey through the stony defiles 

 of Atlas, ivithout shoes, over roads full of loose broken stones, and 

 basaltic rocks.' 



We read, in Zech. vi. 1 3, of four chariots coming out from be- 

 tween two mountains of brass. ' In the first chariot were red 

 horses ; and in the second chariot black horses ; and in the third 

 chariot white horses ; and in the fourth chariot grisled and bay 

 horses.' These four chariots have been interpreted to be the 

 four great monarchies, Chaldean, Persian, Grecian, and Roman, 

 which successively executed God's purposes of mercy and justice ; 

 and the various colors of the horses of the different complexions 

 of those monarchies. But Mr. Greenfield, with more probability, 

 understands them of angels ; i. e. messengers or agents, called the 

 chariots of the LORD, (Ps. Ixviii, 37), by whom he executes his 

 providential will on earth. The red horses denote war ; the black 

 horses famine and pestilence; the white horses the removal of 

 judgments ; and the grisled horses, a mingled dispensation of wrath 

 and mercy. Comp. Rev. vi. 2 8. 



It is well known that many heathen nations have consecrated 

 horses to the sun or solar light, which deity was represented as rid- 

 ing in a chariot, drawn by the most beautiful and swiftest horses 

 in the world, and performing every day his journey from east to 

 west, to enlighten the earth. 



This idolatrous practice had infected Judea, for we read (2 Kings, 

 axiii. 11,) of the horses which the kings of Judah had given to th 

 gun or solar light. 



