ON THE HORSE IN GENERAL. 85 



the nature and circumftances of each country, 

 is a theme fit only to difplay the powers of 

 imagination, in fuch an ingenious and fanciful 

 writer as Buffon. Thus much, conftant obfer- 

 vation and experience have determined upon 

 the matter, that the genus varies with foil and 

 climate, that the Horfes of warm climes and 

 dry foils, are of the trueft proportion, the fineft 

 fkin, and the moft generous fpirit ; of courfe 

 the fleeteft, and fitted for the faddle; as we 

 approach the north, we find them more robuft, 

 and formed with very little fymmetry of 

 fhape; coarfe-haired, hardy, and flow, fitted 

 for draft, and the more laborious purpofes of 

 life ; that the fpecies will thrive, with proper 

 care, in all habitable countries ; but fucceed befl 

 under the temperate zones, and upon fruitful 

 and grameniferous foils. 



It frequently happens, that of two hypo- 

 thefes, although one only can be fimply true, 

 yet both may lead, by different trains of ar- 

 gumentation, to the fame conclufion. The 

 eafieft method, and perhaps that liable to fewefl 

 objections, is to divide the genus of Horfes into 

 two original and diflinct fpecies, or creations ; 

 the fine and fpeedy, and the coarfe and How. 

 To thefe original fources, all varieties whatever 

 may be traced; and the various intermediate 

 degrees may alfo be influenced in fome mea- 

 fure, by foil and climate; but it does not 



g 3 appear 



