THE P!l AUGHT HORSK. 65 



as a check to the advancement of the American 

 nations,, in the process of civilization, and have always 

 kept them, with respect to the arts, both of war and 

 peace, in a state of inferiority to the Europeans. 

 Next to the want of iron, the want of horses is, per- 

 haps, one of the greatest physical obstacles to the 

 advancement of the arts of civilized life. We ought, 

 therefore, to regard the horse as an inestimable gift 

 of the bountiful Creator, and treat him, not with neg- 

 lect, nOr with cruelty, but with attention and kind- 

 ness, not only while he is able to perform our work, 

 or be conducive to our pleasures, but even after age 

 or accident may have disqualified him for further ser- 

 vice. The exercise of wanton cruelty upon any of 

 God's creatures is an act of impiety towards their 

 Creator ; but the ill-treatment of such as are given us 

 for the purpose of promoting our conveniency and 

 comforts, bears the additional stamp of foul ingrati- 

 tude to the All-bountiful Donor. 



Your good sen*e and benevolent feelings, although 

 not yet matured by age and experience, will, I am 

 certain, point out to you the propriety of these re- 

 flections; and in this pleasing confidence I beg leave 

 to assure you, that, with unfeigned affection, 



I am, dear Si r, 



Your's, &c. 



LETTER XIII. 



ft Who hath sent out the wild ass free, or who hath loosed the 

 bands of the wild ass ? Whose house I have made the wilder- 

 ness, and the barren land his dwellings. He scorneth the mul- 

 titude- of the city, neither regardeth he the crying of the driver. 

 The. range of the mountains in. his pasture, and he searchelh 

 alter every green thing." JOB, chap, xxxix. 



DEAR SIR, 



I NOW take upon myself to call your attention 

 to an animal of a somewhat plainer form, and less dis- 

 tinguished rank in the order of quadrupeds, and of 

 much less value in the estimation of mankind than 

 the horse, although, in many respects, but little in^ 



