18 THE HORSE. 



men must proportionably diminish, as that food which 

 is necessary to the supply of the one, might very easily 

 be converted to the nourishment of the other. 



It is impossible to conclude the history of the Horse, 

 without reflecting upon the advantages he bestows upon 

 man, and lamenting, that, after his strength is exhaust- 

 ed by labour and fatigue, he should be condemned to 

 drag on the remnant of his days under the wanton 

 scourge of cruelty and oppression; and, instead of 

 finding an asylum for infirmity and age, under the care 

 of him who had been the destroyer of his vigour and 

 health, that he should be bartered away to the first un- 

 feeling bidder who may offer a few pounds for the dregs 

 of his life *. 



THE ASS. 



Although this animal is very easily distinguished 

 from the horse at first sight, yet, upon closer inspec- 

 tion, their similitude is very striking; they have both 

 the same outline in the external parts, and in the inter- 

 nal the resemblance is equally the same. From this 

 apparent conformation in their shape, it might be 

 imagined that their species were the same, and that 

 the ass was merely the horse degenerated, from a 

 total inattention to its breed : but that this opinion is 



* The Horse (says Einnagus) is single-hoofed, with six cutting-teeth be- 

 fore ; a native both of Europe and the East: it is a generous, proud, 

 strong animal, fit either for the draught, the course, or the roads ; he is 

 delighted with woods ; defends liimsclf widi his tail from the flies ; pro- 

 tects its young ; calls by neighing ; sleeps after night-fall ; fights by kick- 

 ing, and biting also; rolls on the ground when hot ; eats the grass closer 

 than the ox, and hemlock without injury ; does not acquire his canii.e 

 teeth till the age of five years ; and the mare goes two hundred and ninety 

 days with foal. 



