THE PUBLIC ON ASPHALTE. 199 



harm the foot which He has designed with his omni- 

 science and omnipotence to grapple with everything 

 that can possibly spring up on the surface of the 

 earth. 



Modern writers on the horse (asphalte is only a 

 modern introduction) have been for some time, and 

 significantly enough, much at variance as to the 

 virtues or defects of this material, according to the 

 different lights under which they looked at it ; even 

 when all of them were ignorant that the unshod 

 foot was the proper one to deal with it successfully 

 under all circumstances. 



In June 1878, in one contemporary we read : 

 < Asphalte pavement appears to be on its trial. As 

 we briefly mentioned last week, the R. S. P. C. A. 

 has volunteered to assist those who do not approve 

 of these pavements, and to " unite with any respect- 

 able agency for the purpose of mitigating the evil 

 complained of." Respecting this voluntary effort, 

 Mr. Gerard F. Cobb, of Trinity College, Cambridge, 

 requests the society " to carry out its own acknow- 

 ledged objects, and to regard the question entirely 

 from the horse's point of view, but in all its bear- 

 ings. I know, if I were a horse, what I should 

 say, viz., that I would gladly incur the risk of an 

 occasional downfall (which, after all, is less than what 

 I am exposed to on the granite) for the sake of the 

 unparalleled ease and comfort with which it enables 

 me to perform my daily tasks." Mr. Cobb also sug- 

 gests that " If the Society meddles at all in this 

 matter, I would venture to suggest that its efforts 



