158 THE HORSE OF AMERICA. 



sumed, were applied specially to those which in these days we dignify with 

 the expressive appellation of ' bone-setters.'" 



The statuary of the early ages furnishes some excellent illustra- 

 tions of the gait of the horse at that period of the world's his- 

 tory. The four bronze horses on St. Mark's in Venice are known 

 throughout the world, and they are in the pacing attitude. The 

 forefoot that is advanced is possibly a little too much elevated 

 to strike the ground the same instant the hinder foot should 

 strike it, but the whole action indicated is undoubtedly the 

 lateral action. The date of these horses is lost in history, but it 

 is supposed they were cast in Rome, about the beginning of the 

 Christian era. Their capture in Eome and transfer to Constan- 

 tinople, then their capture by the Venetians and transfer to 

 Venice, next their capture by Napoleon and transfer to Paris, 

 and then their restoration to Venice, are all matters of history. 



William Stephanides, or Fitz Stephen, as he was called, a 

 monk of Canterbury, was born in London, lived in the reigns of 

 King Stephen, Henry II., and Eichard I., and died 1191. He 

 wrote a description of London in Latin, which was afterward 

 translated by John Strype, and printed, from which I take the 

 following extract: 



" There is without one of the gates, immediately in the suburb, a certain 

 smooth field (Smithfield) in name and reality. There every Friday, unless it 

 be one of the more solemn festivals, is a noted show of well-bred horses ex- 

 posed for sale. The earls, barons and knights who are at the time resident in 

 the city, as we'l as most of the citizens, flock thither either to look or to boy. 

 It is pleasant to see the nags with their sleek and shining coats, smoothly ambling 

 (pacing) along, raiting and setting down, as it were, their feet on either side; in 

 one part (of the field) are horses better adapted to the esquires; those whose pace, 

 is rougher, yet expeditious, lift up and set down, as it were, the two oppo.ice fore 

 find hind feet (trotting) together." 



After locating and describing the pacers in one part of the field 

 and the trotters in another, Fitz Stephen goes on to take a look 

 at the colts, then horses of burden, "strong and stout of limb/' 

 and then their chargers in their galloping action. He next gives 

 a very spirited description of the race, when the people raise a 

 shout and all the other horses, cattle, etc., are cleared away, that 

 the contestants may have an unobstructed field. It is a fact 

 worthy of note that every English writer on the race horse, for 

 the past century or two, has quoted a part of the above paragraph 

 from Fitz Stephen as the first known and recorded instance of 



