INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. 11 



as many evils and cruel inflictions upon poor 

 helplefs animals, as the opening of Pandora's 

 Box did upon the human race : and notwith- 

 flanding the author lived till after the reftora- 

 tion, and publifhed an edition of his works, in 

 which he boafts of fifty years practice; we 

 find no improvement refulting from his long 

 experience, but that the work which received 

 his lafl hand, is but a mere repetition of the bar- 

 barous and unmeaning abfurdities of ancient 

 practice. 



From the works of Gervafe Markham, and 

 his famous receipts, all the old grooms and 

 farriers, who (unfortunately for the animals 

 committed to their care, and the proprietors 

 of them, were able to write and read) obtained 

 all their veterinary knowledge, their fkill in 

 operations, and their wonderful tricks ; nor 

 is the fame of this great writer altogether 

 unknown to fome of our elder fages of the 

 ftable, even at this day : and I mud beg leave 

 to advife every owner of Horfes, who regards 

 their welfare and his own intereft, as foon 

 as he mail be apprifed that his groom or 

 farrier is in pofTeffion of Markham's works, 

 or indeed any of that ftamp, to purchafe fuch 

 dangerous commodities out of their hands ; 

 and to put them to more harmlefs and necef- 

 fary purpofes, than thofe to which ignorant 

 people would moil probablv apply them. 



As 



