xii PREFACE. 



the dignity of a man of letters -, and, from this 

 miftaken idea of degradation, a fubjedt of fo 

 much confequence has been for many years 

 fubmitted to the arbitrary didation of the mofl 

 illiterate part of the communii;, without a 

 fingle effort of weight or influence to abolifli 

 the ancient and almoft obfoiete mode of prac- 

 tice; or a fingle attempt made, from proper au- 

 thority^ to introduce the modern improvements 

 and difcoveries in every branch of m.edicine. 

 It is mofl; certain there is no one period of hif- 

 tory where the horfe has been ranked fo high 

 in general eilimation, or rendered of fuch in- 

 trinfic worth, by a difplay of his various 

 powers, as in the prefent age of experiment 

 and refinement. 



To this caufc may undoubtedly be attri- 

 buted the very great attention paid for fome 

 years part to the breed of the diftindt and fe- 

 parate claflls for the turf, field, road, or draft; 

 and as their value has, in a very (hort fpace of 

 time, abfc I'ltely doubled their former worth, 

 furely we ought to be proportionally anxious 

 for their prefervation, whether for fporty con- 

 'vemence or einolument. The almoft incredible 

 number of this truly valuable part of the crea- 

 tion 



