i8 THE HORSE. 



every part of the world, " from the tropical plains of India to the frozen re^ons of 

 Siberia — from the northern extremities of the new world to the southern point of 

 America." But amongst the Hebrews, horses were rare previous to the days of 

 Solomon, who had horses broufrht out of Egypt after his marriag-e with the daughter 

 of Pharoah. and so rapidly did he multiply them by purchase and by breeding, that 

 those kept for his own use required, as it is written, " four thousand stables, and 

 forty thousand stalls." Hence, when honoured by a visit from the beautiful Queen 

 of Sheba, bringing with her " camels bearing spices," and " very much gold and 

 precious stones," it was doubtless in the contemplation of his magnificent stud of 

 liorses and chariots, kept for the amusement of his wives and concubines, as well as 

 of his other vast displays of power and magnificence, that her majesty exclaimed, in 

 the fullness of her admiration, — " Howbeit I believed not the words until I came, 

 and mine eyes had seen it, and behold the half was not told me !" 



This gallant monarch appears to have enjoj^ed a large monopoly of the horse trade 

 with Egypt, for which he was probably indebted to his having an Egyptian Princess 

 for one of his wives. His merchants supplied horses in great numbers to the Hittite 

 Kings of Northern Phoenicia. The fixed price was one hundred and fifty shekels for 

 one horse, and six hundred shekels for a set of chariot horses. Thus early was in 

 vogue, as it seems, the gentleman-like fashion to drive four-in-hand, which came 

 down to the good old days when in our Republican country the Tayloes, and the 

 Ridgelys, and the Lloyds, and Hamptons still figured and flourished on the race-courses 

 at Annapolis and Washington. 



That there was in the " olden time," something remarkably luxurious in the style of 

 living and equipage at the ancient metropolis of Maryland, may be gathered from the fol- 

 lowing remarks in " New Travels through America." in the year 1781, by the Abb6 

 Robin, chaplain to the French army. — " Their furniture here is constructed of the 

 most costly kind of wood, and the most valuable marble, enriched by the elegant 

 devices of the artist's hand. Their riding machines are light and handsome, and 

 drawn by the Jleeiest coursers, managed by slaves richly dressed. This opulence was 

 particularly observable at Jinnnpalia. Female luxurj' here exceeds what is known in 

 the provinces of France — a French hair-dresser is a man of importance among them ; 

 a certain dame here hires one of that oraft at a thousand crowns a year salary." 



Before the days of Solomon, their honours, the Judges and Princes of Israel, used 

 generally to ride on Jisses and Mules ; no less patient and faithful servants of man than 

 the horse ; and to whom the editor will endeavour to render justice, in the course of 

 this introduction to the English work. 



It is not, be it said, with all our partiality for the Horse, that he possesses any ottA 

 physical or moral trait, in higher excellence than some other animals. In sagacity, he 

 falls short of the ponderous and drowsy Elephant; in muscular development and 

 grace of limb, he surpasses not the Stag; in ardour and constancy of devotion, he can 

 scarcely be said to equal his friendly companion and rival for his master's affections, 

 the faithful Dog ; and his courage fails him at sight of a " Lion in the way," — while 

 in the humbler qualities of patience and availability to the very last, even to the hair 

 and the hoof, that unambitious drudge, the Ox, may well assert his pretensions to com- 

 parison, if not to superiority. It is the admirable combinaliim of tlie several (lualit.ies 

 which, taken singly, serve to confer distinction on other quadrupeds, that united in 

 him, fits the horse for employments so various ; giving him pre-eminence alike in t\ie 

 wagon or the plough — the coach and the Irattle-field. While on the one liand, with a 

 flight of speed, compared in Scripture to " the swiftness of the Eagle," he submits his 

 neck, clothed in thunder, to be restrained by a silken rein in the hamls of a Di Vernon, 

 his courage in war is thus eloquently described by Job. We give what is esteemed 

 the best translation of a passage often quoted, no less for its appositeness than for it3 

 Bublimity. 



" Hast thou Eriven mottle to the horse ? 

 And clotbtd his neck with ire ? 



Do?t thou command him to spring; like a grasshopper ? 

 The grandeur of bis neighing is terror ; 

 With bis feci be bents the ground, 

 Rejoicing in his strength ; 

 And goes forth to meet the embnttled foe. 



