EXERCISE. 217 



has for ages remained in an acknowledged 

 ftate of barbarity and ignorance. 



Mr. Clarke, in his *' Obfervations on 

 Blood Letting/' fays, ''It is difficult to fix 

 any precife ftandard how we may judge either 

 of the healthy or morbid ftate of the blood 

 in horfcs when cold." This is an opinion 

 fo diredly oppofite to what I have frequently 

 advanced upon former occafions, (with rea- 

 fons at large for infpefting it in fuch ftate) 

 that my filence upon the paflage alluded to, 

 w^ould bear fo much the appearance of pu- 

 fillanimity, or profeftional ignorance, that I 

 gladly avail myfelf of the prefent opportu- 

 nity to fubjoin a few words in fupport of the 

 opinion formerly maintained ; but with the 

 moft unfullied refpedt for a writer of fo much 

 perfpicuity and eminence, whofe abilities I 

 hold in the greateft eftimation. 



It may, as Mr. Clarke feems to think, 

 *' be difficult to fix any precife ftandard to 

 difcover the e^ad: ftate of the blood when 

 cold'i^ but I doubt not his candour, upon due 

 deliberation, w^ill admit the certainty of 



dif^ 



