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paganism, as may be seen in Collier's Ecclesiastical History. There 

 can be no excuse or apology for any wanton, or fanciful cruelties 

 exercised on defenceless beasts. Slitting the nostrils, under the idea, 

 of giving a more free course to the wind, which is practised in some 

 countries at this day, I believe indeed, to be a mere ideal, and per- 

 fectly useless practice. Tying the ears together has been long forgot- 

 ten. By whom, where, or when, nicking was invented, I have never 

 heard, but the operation is most barbarous, painful and lingering, the 

 use none, and the sight often ridiculous, frequently detractive 'from 

 the figure of the nag, particularly if he shew much blood. I must 

 bluntly own, that when, some few years since, I read the account of 

 a Horse-dealer, who in the act of nicking a Horse, had his puddings 

 kicked by a well directed stroke of the tortured animal's heels, I griev- 

 ed but on two accounts, for the Horse, and for those left behind by the 

 deceased. Cropping deprives the internal ear of its natural defence, 

 and is nine times out of ten, practised by those whose heads are empty 

 and who, it is pity, do not take the fit of making conjurors of them- 

 selves, sparing the ears of their unfortunate beasts. But the argument 

 of interest, so congenial with our natures, must have place, and I 

 must acknoAvledge, that in the case of huge, bangling, pendulous ears, 

 the owner of a Horse is, and probably ever will be, tempted to curtail 

 and reduce their volume, and to remedy nature's blunder, by settino- 

 them erect. I think the suffering is by no means so great, if the ope^ 

 ration be performed during the colt-hood of the animal; but after ail, 

 am perfectly content to give up the practice, which is more than I can 

 say, with regard to docking, although 1 have never had the pleasure 

 of riding a long-tailed Horse in the fly season, or through dirty roads 

 in winter. IMost truly, these fine flowing tails might be put into 

 buckle, a laviilitaire, yet the prejudice of custom will not suffer me 

 to look upon such a fashion, fbr the turf; road or field, without a 

 smile. And as the pain of the operation may be reduced to a fleabite, 

 or that of a bleeding stroke, by performing it, on very young subjects,' 

 I think little of it reflecting with an aching heart, upon the thousand 

 times severer tortures, which the ill-fkted animal must have to endure 

 so incessantly, in his cruel and multiplied labours; on which, our 



'^ ^ common 



