VII. 



CARRIAGE HORSES AXD COBS. 



A SCIENTIFIC person once declared — and Mr. 

 Ruskin scornfully rebuked him for the asser- 

 tion — that the amount of coal consumed in any given 

 country will measure the degree of civilization to 

 which it has attained. The same remark has been 

 made in regard to sulphuric acid, and doubtless it 

 could be applied to many other commodities with 

 that mixture of truth which is sufficient for an epi- 

 gram. Of carriage horses, for example, it might be 

 said that their quality (if not their quantity) is an 

 index of civilization ; for the carriage horse changes 

 his character from century to century, almost from 

 year to year, as wealth and skill augment, as high- 

 ways improve, as vehicles become lighter, as railroads 

 are brought into play, as people use their steeds for 



