FOR PEACE AND WAR. 121 



Eecent events have taught us, with the stern logic of facts as 

 startling as the world ever saw, that, believing in the doctrine of 

 universal peace, we have been living in a fool's paradise. The 

 Millennium has not yet come — the lion has not lain down with 

 the lamb — and when he does, as the Yankee said, " I guess the 

 lamb will be inside the lion ! " 



We must be like the strong man armed, especially in cavalry 

 and artillery, and then, once more, we shall be feared and re- 

 spected by our neighbours, and the " Civis Eomanus Sum " of 

 Lord Palmerston will be no idle boast when once more it is under- 

 stood, that the same meaning is conveyed in the words — " I am 

 an Englishman." 



In the handling of our present subjects, I have deemed 

 it desirable and interesting to trace from remote sources the 

 " changes and chances " that have given to us that noble 

 type of the eqiius caballus that has long distinguished the 

 British Isles, remarking upon the causes that produced him, 

 and pointing to the existing and accruing dangers that 

 have degenerated and threaten to effectually deteriorate 

 him if pursued. My main oly'ect, however, has been to keep 

 my theme before the reader, so that when dealing with 

 pertinent matter thereto, it might be considered that my 

 research or digression was more with the view " to point a 

 moral than to adorn a tale." 



I hope to have not, at least, failed to impress the reader 

 with the undoubted axiom and matter of most important 

 consideration, that it is preferable and wiser to have that 

 source from which good or evil must necessarily proceed of 

 such character and merit as will insure beneficial rather 

 than deleterious results ; and that to provide us with 

 sound, stout, and reliable horses for our exigencies in peace 

 or war, it is incontestably necessary to take care that 

 the parents, especially the males, are of as fine, pure, and 

 sound a type as can be procured. Keader, I submit I 



