lO INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. 



of fapient grooms, the fiddle of old wives, and 

 the glory of bookfellers. After having pain- 

 fully laboured through his works, it remains 

 with me a doubt, whether this famous writer ever 

 poffefTed any real knowledge of the horfe, or of 

 the art veterinary, from his own practice and 

 experience. He was, in my opinion, nothing 

 better than a mere vulvar and illiterate com- 

 piler; and his works (fome few things excepted) 

 are fluffed with all the execrable tralh that had 

 ever been invented by any writer, or pra&ifed 

 by any farrier, ancient or modern, on the fub- 

 je£t of horfes. It is neceffary, however, that 

 we do jufiice to the character of Gervafe 

 Markham ; he certainly poflefled a fpecies of 

 merit which has not defcended to all his fuc- 

 ceflbrs, the copiefts and plagiarifts: he very 

 honeftly gives the names of thofe authors from 

 whom he derives his knowledge. 



Markham's works were printed and reprint- 

 ed, to the twentieth, and for aught I know, to 

 the fortieth edition. At leaf!;, the celebrated 

 name of Gervafe Markham was made ufe of 

 by the bookfellers to a vaff number of compi- 

 lations, not only upon the fubjecl of Horfes, 

 but of hufbandry, gardening, and houfe- 

 wifery. 



The mifchiefs which have been occafioned 

 by the extenfive circulation of this man's 

 books, are incalculable. They brought almolt 



as 



