BREEDING. 39 



the impropriety and danger of breeding from 

 horfes of this defcription, was in the year 

 1773, or 1774, when a great number of 

 mares in that neighbourhood had been co- 

 vered by a very popular ** blind Jiallion,^* (for 

 that Vv'as really the appellation under which 

 he paffed) of the Hon. T. King's, near 

 Ripley, in Surrey, whofe pedigree, Ihape, 

 make, figure, and qualifications, were fo 

 effedually fafcinating with the multitude, 

 that the want of eyes did not feem at all to 

 impede the daily progrefs of his procreation. 

 The infection of fafliion was then (and ever 

 will be) as predominant as at prefent ; for the 

 flaves to that gcx'-gaw continued to bring 

 their mares in unremitting rotation, and 

 never difcovered their own want of fight, or 

 common comprehenfion, till the third or 

 fourth year, when the major part of the 

 produce became as blind as the fire. 



Still anxious to afcertain to fomc Itate of 

 certainty, an objed: of fo much confequence 

 (not only to the fporting people, but the 

 world at large) as the hereditary tranfmiffion 

 of this defedl, I was conftantly upon the 

 watch to enlarge my inquiries to fome de- 



D 4 gree 



