HORSE. 311 



patrons in that State, and the desperate fanciers of horses 

 of special powers have not been numerous. Still the State 

 can boast of many intelligent and spirited horsemen, not 

 only as growers, breakers, and dealers, but men to whom 

 the science of the horse, his varieties and functions, is a 

 precious domain of knowledge. 



The general apathy and indifference to, and profound igno- 

 rance of, this noble animal, from the blacksmith who carelessly 

 nails a rim of iron around his wonderfully organized hoof,* 

 crippling and deforming one of the most interesting vital 

 mechanisms in the whole animal kingdom, to the quack farrier 

 calling himself "veterinary surgeon," who maltreats and de- 

 stroys him, having but one name (bots) for all his compli- 

 cated catalogue of diseases ; or from the fool who drives him 

 to death for want of knowledge of his capacity to destroy 

 space and carry loads, to the Cockney who prostitutes his 

 powers to uses never designed by Nature, and who murdersf 

 him to gratify his pride or gambling lust, is a subject of sur- 

 prise, and constitutes the lowest blunder and inappetency of 

 the man and the hour. Let him reflect with earnestness and 

 intelligence on the horse and his human associations, his 

 significance and true meaning, his laws and his destiny, and 

 he will no longer stand confused for his ignorance of, or con- 

 demned for his crimes against him. 



To this splendid creature's majestic form, Nature seems 

 to have affixed the high and distinguished marks of the per- 

 fection of organic structures. Alone, in the style and gran- 

 deur of his proportions, he stands the incarnation of the 



* See note at end of catalogue of "Mammals." 



f " The Mongolic nations eat horse-flesh. Wild horse meat, 

 butchered for the market, is still sold daily in many parts of China." 

 Hamilton Smith. 



Which is the most rational savage, Cockney or Mongole ? Mon- 

 gole certainly, for he would give, no doubt, the excuse of the canni- 

 bal for eating his grandmother, "she was very good.'" But the 

 Cockney ! what has he to say why sentence of death shall not be 

 pronounced upon him? Nothing; the verdict stands: "murder in 

 the first degree." 



