SHOEING. 147 



directions for the ease and safety c^ his 

 horse, without relying entirely upon those 

 who will frequently be found to possess little 

 or no judgment at all. 



The greater part of those writers who 

 have favoured the public with a communi- 

 cation of their sentiments upon this subject, 

 seem extravagantly fond of an idea borrowed 

 from antiquity, and transferred from one to 

 another, upon the practicability of horses 

 travelling the road, and doing their constant 

 work without any shoeing at all : such eco- 

 nomical plan may be admirably calculated for 

 the theoretical journey of some literary spe- 

 culatist, up two or three pair of stairs in a 

 remote corner of the metropolis ; but I will 

 venture to affirm, no such excursion can take 

 place of any duration, without material in- 

 jury to the Hoof, unless to the high-bred 

 horses of authors, many of whom enjoy their 

 journeys as Bajazet enjoyed his cruelty, only 



IN imagination/* 



One of these (Osmer) has introduced hiSy 

 remarks with the following rhapsodical ex- 

 postulation : 



l2 



