KINDNESS. 7 



children call " cupboard love." Like many amiable 

 characters on two legs, the quadruped is shy of ac- 

 quaintances but genial with friends. Make him under- 

 stand that you are his best and wisest, that all you do 

 conduces to his comfort and happiness, be careful at 

 first not to deceive or disappoint him, and you will find 

 his reasoning powers quite strong enough to grasp the 

 relations of cause and effect. 



In a month or six weeks he will come to your call, and 

 follow you about like a dog. Soon he will let you lift 

 his feet, handle him all over, pull his tail, and lean your 

 weight on any part of his body, without alarm or 

 resentment. When thoroughly familiar with your face, 

 your voice, and the motions of your limbs, you may 

 back him with perfect safety, and he will move as 

 soberly under you in any place to which he is accus- 

 tomed as the oldest horse in your stable. 



Do not forget, however, that education should be 

 gradual as moon-rise, perceptible, not in progress, but 

 result. I recollect one morning riding to covert with a 

 Dorsetshire farmer whose horses, bred at home, were 

 celebrated as timber-jumpers even in that most timber- 

 jumping of countries. I asked him how they arrived 

 at this proficiency without breaking somebody's neck, 

 and he imparted his plan. 



