294 HUNTERS. 



of his own horfes in ficknefs or health ; to 

 difcover their neceffities, and prefcribe the 

 remedies, without a degrading dependence 

 upon the accumulated ignorance and affedted 

 confequcnce of every illiterate groom^ ojiler^ 

 or ftahk'boy ; Vvho, it is univerfally known, 

 proudly poflrefs obfolete receipts for every 

 poffible difeafe to which the horfe is liable, 

 (without its containing perhaps one appli- 

 cable ingredient) and will valiantly vouch 



for the INFALLIBILITY OF ITS VIRTUES, 



though it is ten to one he is totally unac- 

 quamted with the articles of which it is 

 compofed, and ftill more probably has not 

 ability to read the very farrago he fo con- 

 fidently recommends. 



This evil has originally arifen, and been 

 increafed in its growth by too implicit, or 

 rather too indolent, a fubmiflion of mafters 

 in general, to the indifcreet (not to add fome- 

 times infernal) and ridiculous propofitions of 

 thefe people, upon whofe deftrudive affec- 

 tation of knowledge I have already fo repeat- 

 edly expatiated under different heads ; but am 

 by prac^fical obfervations, as often brought to 

 a renewal of the fubjecS, to place every genr 



tleman 



