118 THE NOBLE SCIENCE. 



stronger temptation, the " noli me tangere' timber. 

 Avoid a gate that opens from yon, unless you are sure 

 that it is fast ; you cannot have a much worse fell than 

 that occasioned by the opening of a gate, upon a horse's 

 striking it either with fore or hind-legs ; if it open from 

 you, ride always near the hinge ; the take off is generally 

 better, though the bars are stiffer close to the post. 

 Gates opening towards you are the best to jump, they 

 offer a resistance, and generally break with the weight 

 and force of a horse, if he be inclined to feel them. 

 According to the theory of ancient philosophers, one 

 half of danger consisted in the view of it : this may 

 account for the preference of a blind thrust through a 

 bull-finch, with as little idea of what is beyond, as the 

 man of Thessaly had in the quickset, to an upstand- 

 ing leap, fair and above hoard. It is possible also that 

 the certainty of a bad fall, should your horse, either by 

 being blown, slipping at taking off, or by any other acci- 

 dent, attempt to go through, instead of clean over the 

 top of such obstacles, may have something to do with 

 the choice ; but this has been matter of recommenda- 

 tion to some men. That first-rater, Mr. Peyton, would, 

 upon principle, put a beaten horse at timber, because, 

 if he attempted it, he would be sure toJlJl on the right 

 side ! although he might altogether fail in getting any- 

 how over other fences. Any one who can reason thus, 

 and act accordingly, must be of the right sort, must be 

 composed of those materials which 



" Give the world assurance of a man." 



