178 THE ARAB THE HORSE OF THE FUTURE 



Which is like the dispute of a century ago as to 

 musicians : 



' Some declare that Buonocini 

 Compared to Handel is a ninny : 

 Others say that to him Handel 

 Is not fit to hold a candle.' 



Therefore I may be excused for stating my own 

 opinion, derived largely from early reading on 

 Biblical history, which has not yet been finally 

 upset by later learning. 



Probably the ' higher criticism ' has had its in- 

 fluence in leading to the statements which I doubt, 

 but, according to Professor Sayce, the higher 

 criticism is nothing but ' the baseless fabric of sub- 

 jective imagination,' and he says that research is 

 constantly demonstrating how dangerous it is to 

 question the veracity of tradition. 



Dealing with the question as to Mahomet first, of 

 course he had no horses in his early life. He was 

 poor, and had no means to buy horses. He often 

 had to hide from his enemies, and finally to fly his 

 country. But after he became successful he had 

 horses. That is so well known that there is no 

 necessity to enlarge on it. 



The other assertion, that there were no horses in 

 Arabia before Christ, is a wider and more interest- 

 ing matter, and also more difficult; and although I am 

 not prepared to dogmatize or to pretend to affirm 

 positively to the contrary, yet I think I shall show 

 some good grounds for believing that there really 

 were horses in Arabia before Christ. 



