THE HEAD. 17 



that he would be a soiu-ce of constant annoyance to his 

 rider. A medium breadth at the base of the brain, 

 ^vith a prominent forehead, is the best development of 

 all, because it is the concomitant of corn-age and good- 

 natm-e, which are essential to our comfort and safety. 

 ( Some parties may think these notions are visionary, 

 but I am confident they are founded in natm-e, and will 

 be fully borne out by careful inspection and observa- 

 tion. I disregarded them in one instance lately, and, 

 contrary to my better judgment, pm-chased a mare 

 whose shape and action attracted my attention. In 

 the course of a short time, however, I found out my 

 mistake, and was obliged to " pocket my loss," as a 

 reproof for my temerity in running counter to the 

 plain and unerring laws of natm'e.3 I ^^ ^ot mean to 

 say that all trained horses, with certain marks which I 

 have mentioned, are quiet and tractable, because many 

 of them are trained by beings far more savage than 

 themselves, and the best temper may thus be spoiled ; 

 but what I state is, that a horse with a certain forma- 

 tion of brain is ly nature gentle and docile, and will 

 become ill-natm-ed and intractable only by brutality 

 and bad management. If any of my readers are in- 

 clined to judge for themselves in this matter, and ^vish 

 to put it to the test of practical observation, I would 

 suggest that they must be very careful to ascertain 

 the exact position of the parts which I have referred 

 to. The development of the hrain is the thing to 



