28 ENGLAND S HORSES, 



strong predilection for large heavy horses, in which views 

 they were supported by a celebrated member of their own 

 order, the author of two works that to a comparatively 

 recent period have enjoyed the reputation of standard text 

 books on the continent in matters of menage, &c. This 

 was the celebrated Duke of Newcastle, a thorough disciple 

 and advocate of the Tignatelli school of horsemanship, 

 introduced by the person from whom it takes its name, in 

 the reign of Henry VIII. at Naples, and was the founda- 

 tion of our present approved system of equitation so ably 

 illustrated by the teaching of Mr. Frederick Allen. The 

 deserved reputation for knowledge and exalted rank of the 

 duke naturally gave weight to his views and counsel. He 

 unfortunately described the Arab horse as " a little bony 

 animal of ordinary shape, not. fleet, and good for nothing." 

 This course of action much impeded the wise efforts of 

 King James, but by no means discouraged them. He 

 bought another horse from a Mr. Plaice, who was subse- 

 quently exalted to the position of Stud Master to the wise 

 and utilitarian Oliver Cromwell, from which circumstance, 

 if no more solid existed, a reasonable inference may be 

 deduced, that, a foreign horse imported by one who was 

 considered competent to advance to such a position as Mr. 

 Plaice enjoyed under the Commonwealth, was a good sample 

 of his breed. This horse's name still stands out in proud 

 distinction at the very root of some of the best pedigrees to 

 be traced in the annals of Weatherby, and is known to 

 posterity as The White Turk.* Soon after this the horsey 

 monarch's favourite — " Steney " — Villiers, 1st Duke of 

 Buckingham, introduced The Helmsley Turk, and 

 subsequently The Morocco Barb was added by Lord 

 Fairfax. Such patronage to a new order of breeding, at 

 least, happily begot for it the all-powerful aid of "fashion," 



*N0TE. — See the Earl of "Wiuchilsea's letter to the Times, page 17. 



