OF HORSEMANSHIP. 7 



them indifferently among other hiflorical occurrences 

 without going out of their way to give any account of 

 the origin of taming him for different purpofes, or 

 pointing out in what sera, or among what people, the 

 art was lirfl difcovered : I would here be underflood to 

 mean, that no exprefs and formal account is given of 

 its origin; and that confequently no more knowledge 

 can be gained upon the fubjei51:, than what may be 

 gleaned and fifted from other hiflorical fads recorded 

 in the Bible. Thence, as from the only fountain- 

 head to which we can pufh our enquiries, we learn, 

 that Egypt was the land, in which the horfe firft 

 paid the tribute of his labours to man ; a land 

 which had the flart of other nations in the difcovery 

 and cultivation of art and fcience ; and which was. 

 no lefs famous and efleemed for its horfes, than 

 adapted by nature to nourifh and fupport them ; be- 

 ing then (as now) very fruitful, and abounding in. 

 rich paflures ; whence other countries, efpecially Ju- 

 daea, in the time of Solomon, drew their fupplies, and 

 carried on a large commerce, greatly to the advantage 

 of Egypt, as we learn from various evidences of facred < 

 and prophane hiflory *, and efpecially of the former, , 



* Vide loth chap, of the ift book of Kings, 



Bochart Hieroz, ch. 9. 



Diod. Sicul. lib. I. p. 42. 



Wolfangus Franz. Part I. c. 12. Amflelod. Hifl:. Anim. p. loi, . 

 who fays, Fuerunt autem in Egypto Temper prsftantiffimi equi.— Alfo. 

 BufFon's Nat. Hift., Art. Cheval. . 



whiclxi 



