THE CONDITION OP A STALLION. 43 



lions of the neighbourhood. What was the cause of 

 this ? Condition. The work-horse, by constant au'l 

 severe exercise, was brought into heahh and strength, 

 and his stock partook of the state of his system at the 

 time 01 copulation. Why is it that many experienced 

 farmers, after having tried the best stallion within tbeit 

 knowledge, frequently resort to the keeping of one of 

 theii own colts or farm-horses entire, for the service of 

 their mares, and actually obtain as large and as good 

 and saleable stock from such a one, as that from the 

 public stallions of far superior size, form, blood, and all 

 other qualities, except this indispensable condition ? 



It may be stated that, generally, whenever the get of 

 a stallion has proved, at maturity, to be of remarkable 

 excellence comparatively with the sire, such horse has 

 been, at and previously to the time of getting such val- 

 uable stock, kept without pampering, without excessive 

 sexual service, and with a good share of exercise or 

 labour. 



To show the effect of a peculiar state of the system in 

 the parents at the time of copulation, instances may be 

 cited from various sources. We will content ourselves 

 with two — and first take a lamentable case in the human 

 species as given in the valuable work on " The Consti- 

 tution of Man," by George Combe: 



"In the summer of 1827, the practitioner alluded to 

 was called upon to visit professionally a young woman 

 In the immediate neighbourhood, who was safely deliv- 

 ered of a male child. As the parties appeared to be 

 respectable, he made some inquiries regarding the ab- 

 sence of the child's father, when the old woman told him 

 that her daughter was still unmarried; that the child'.«< 

 %ther belonged to a regiment in Ireland ; that last autumn 

 ne had obtained leave of absence to visit his friends in 

 this part of the country, and that, on the eve of his de- 



40 



