32 INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. 



the vulgarity of his ftyle, and the total want 

 of attraction in his manner. A number of 

 editions of the works of a new writer, haflily 

 puffed off, form no fatisfaclory proof of his 

 merit ; but the ultimate judgment of the pub- 

 lic is ever infallible. 



To Gibfon and Bracken, fucceeded Bartlet 

 and Ofmer, both regular bred furgeons. Bart- 

 let may be looked upon as the commentator 

 of Gibfort and Bracken, whofe redundancies 

 he judicioufly pruned, and whofe fyftems he 

 reduced to a compafs more convenient to the 

 generality of readers. He alfo contributed 

 confiderably to public information, from his 

 own genuine flock of veterinary knowledge ; 

 but in no refpecl was his book of greater fer- 

 vice to the country, than by the communication 

 of the celebrated M. la Foffe's -Theory of 

 Shoeing, and management of the feet ; from 

 which (although by no means perfect, or 

 indeed often practicable) the hint was firft 

 taken of improving our wretched and unna- 

 tural fyftem of (hoeing, or rather of cramping 

 and clogging the feet of our Horfes. Bartlet's 

 Preface to the Gentleman's Farriery is particu- 

 larly excellent, and to the purpofe : and I have 

 no doubt, has acted as a ftimulus to many 

 gentlemen of the faculty to undertake veteri- 

 nary practice. I have fome obfcure recollec- 

 tion 



