IMPETUOSITIES. 239 



witted them, the leading-rein being immediately con- 

 vertible into a true bearing-rein by a twist round 

 the names, 



Other ' impetuosities,' to borrow Charles Keade's 

 term, made an onslaught on the veterinary surgeons 

 as a body, accusing them of encouraging, or at least 

 conniving at the use of the bearing-rein, because the 

 horses were injured by it, and so grist was brought 

 to their mill. I use, as far as I can remember, the 

 identical terms. 



Now, in this indictment there was just that scin- 

 tillula of truth which makes such an accusation 

 doubly exasperating. It is perfectly true that a large 

 portion of the ailments of horses is caused by the 

 bearing-rein, and that if it were to be wholly abolished, 

 the veterinary surgeons would have fewer patients. 

 But A has no right to assume that because B would 

 gain by perpetrating a dishonourable action, B would 

 do it. Still less has A a right to assume that B 

 actually does perpetrate that action, and still less 

 to accuse him of it publicly. 



The above manifesto of the veterinary surgeons 

 is a complete answer to the charge, and shows that, 

 although by advising the use of the bearing-rein 

 they would sensibly increase their gains, they are 

 far too honourable to do so at the expense of the 

 horse. 



