X INTRODUCTION. 



to nags that could trot inside of 2.-i0 ; while the righteous 

 were doomed to amble through life on dull, fat, family-horses, 

 fit only for a plough or a funeral. 



It is part of the same foolish prejudice which marvels 

 how a preacher could write a book on horses. " Would 

 St. Paul," say they, " pause to write on the horse ? " 

 But would Paid have written upon astronomy ? or upon 

 the history of the Jews ? or upon agriculture ? or on com- 

 mon schools ? Would he have written poetry, or commu- 

 nications for a newspaper, or magazine-articles, or Latin 

 grammars ? If he had lived in our time, he certainly would, 

 if he felt moved thereto, and perceived that thereby he 

 might contribute, directly or indirectly, to the great inter- 

 ests of political economy as included in Christian civilization. 

 Who finds fault with clergymen for contributing to the 

 welfare of society thi'ough any of the great channels of 

 influence ? 



From time out of mind, husbandry has been deemed a 

 proper pursuit for clergymen. But what topic in husbandry 

 is more important, and better worthy of dignified treatment, 

 than the history and culture of that noble animal, the horse ? 

 Society owes to the horse a debt of gratitude a thousand 

 times greater than it does to thousands of men who abuse 

 him. He has ministered to progress ; has made social inter- 

 course possible where otherwise it would have been slow 

 and occasional, or altogether impossible. He has vntually 

 extended the strength of man, augmented his speed, doubled 

 his time, decreased his burdens, and, becoming his slave, has 

 released liim from drudgery, and made him free. For love's 

 sake, for the sake of social life, for eminent moral reasons, 

 the horse deserves to be bred, trained, and cared for with 

 scrupulous care ; and, if a minister can teach men how to do 



