82 THE HISTORY AND ART 



leaft, were horfemen fo Ikilful and enlightened as to 

 lafle the merit and beauty of this meafured and well 

 timed motion in horfes. The Latin word, defcriptive 

 of this adlion, in which the -horfe lifts his feet alter- 

 nately aloft, fufpends them for a momentary fpace in 

 the air, and then ftrikes them forcibly, and in equal 

 cadence, againll the ground, is called T'ripiid'mm ; its ge- 

 i;iuine fignification, is to Jirike againji the ground, and 

 means technically the fame thing as the French expreflion 

 Piaffer, which literally rendered fignifics to Jirut, or 

 move in a fwaggering and haughty manner. 



The French term Trepigner, is likewife fuppofed to 

 be derived from the old Latin word Tripudiiim, but is 

 always ufed by horfemen in a bad fenfe ; being ex- 

 preffive of the low, fhuffling, and indiftindl motion of 

 the legs, in oppofition to the flow, marked, and lofty 

 aiflion, difplayed in the Piaffer. 



Indenendent of thefe refinements, the Romans were 

 very found and competent judges of the qualities re- 

 quifite to conftitute a good horfe. Virgil defcribes them 

 with all the force of truth, and all the warmth of 

 poetry. Varro, deemed the mod learned and accom- 

 pliflied perfon of the moft refined age of Rome, has 

 likewife given a detail of them, which is fo mafterly 

 and exa^l, that the knowledge of the prefent times, 

 enlightened as they may be, can find nothing in it to 

 reprehend. They both afiTure us, " that we may 

 " prognofticate great things of a colt, if, v^hen run- 

 «< ning in the paftures, he is ambitious to get before 

 " his companions ; if, in coming to a river, he flrives 



" to. 



