136 THE PERFECT HORSE. 



before they pronounce judgment touching the extent 

 and limitation of those laws which the all- wise Creator 

 ordained to govern the propagation of the species. 

 That a limit exists somewhere is undoubtedly true ; but, 

 just where the point at Avhich we should stop is located, 

 it is not so easy to affirm. Now, in respect to the horse, 

 history, so far as it goes, seems to be in favor of in- 

 breeding. Indeed, the evidence is unmistakable, and 

 all tending in one direction. To begin with this 

 country, and in the trotting-family : the old Abdallah 

 was the result of a cross between a half brother and 

 sister; Mambrino and Amazonia, his sire and dam, 

 being both gotten by imported Messenger. The old 

 Hambletonian was by Messenger, out of a daughter 

 of Messenger. 



One-Eye, the dam of Rysdyk's Hambletonian's dam, 

 was again the result of a cross between a son and 

 daughter of Messenger. Then, again, the Charles Kent 

 mare, whose dam was the result of the incestuous union 

 between the son and daughter of Messenger, was bred 

 to Abdallah, the result of a like incestuous union ; and 

 the result is Rysdyk's Hambletonian. Observe this 

 order : A son and daughter of Messenger produce Ab- 

 dallah, — this certainly is as close inbreeding, almost, as 

 one can have, — and the result is the most famous horse 

 of his family ; and he gets a son, when bred to his 

 cousin, that founds a family whose fame is known the 

 world over. If we should go to the English stud- 

 books, a list of any required length might be made out, 



