AGRICULTURE AND THE HORSE. 369 



any faculties except those with which Nature endows 

 the coward when he flies from danger or conflict. 

 The American trotter requires bones and muscles and 

 brains ; and, when he stands high on the list, he has 

 them all. For compactness of form and ease of motion, 

 for strength, endurance, and sagacity, he is unequalled. 

 *' The beautiful description which Yirgil gives of a 

 good steed in his day is just as true in our own : — 



* Choose with like care the courser's generous breed, 

 And from his birth prepare the parent steed. 

 His color mark : select the glossy bay ; 

 And to the white or dun prefer the gray. 

 As yet a colt, he stalks with lofty pace, 

 And balances his limbs with flexile grace ; 

 First leads the way, the threatening torrent braves, 

 And dares the unknown arch that spans the waves. 

 Light on his airy crest his slender head ; 

 His body short ; his loins luxuriant spread ; 

 Muscle on muscle knots his brawny breast. 

 No fear alarms him, nor vain shouts molest. 

 O'er his right shoulder, floating full and fair, 

 Sweeps his thick mane, and spreads its pomp of hair : 

 Swift works his double spine ; and earth around 

 Rings to his solid hoof that wears the ground.* 



Now, we have this animal as the natural product of 

 our farms. I know not how it has come to pass, but 

 it is a fact, that the farmer's horse in New England is 

 peculiar to himself, and is, moreover, peculiarly an 

 American institution. He may be descended from the 

 thorough-bred, for any thing that can be said to the 

 contrary ; but, the farther he is removed from that 



24 



