ON DRAFT CATTLE. 287 



pieces, which is obliged to run diftreft every 

 mile of his Mage ; fuppofmg him a trifle too 

 light, the error is not fo great, becaufe, if he 

 poflefs a readinefs and facility of action, he wiil 

 occafionally borrow a little weight of his fel- 

 lows, and maintain his ground a long time. 



It is well known, that there is no labour fo 

 fevere and deftruclive to horfes as quick draft, 

 and it is a miferable consideration, that the fyf- 

 tem of human intereft requires it to be per- 

 formed chiefly by cripples, and thofe already 

 near worn out ; and that we muft derive our 

 comforts and conveniences from racked feel- 

 ings, and painfully extorted labour. Strange 

 ideas have rufhed upon my mind, on obferving 

 palfengers impatient under the tortures of the 

 gout and rheumatifm, urge, and even fee the 

 coachman, to whip his horfes on to the lad 

 pitch of exertion, when from fpavins, Iamenefs, 

 or wounds, every flcp to them muft be an ope- 

 ration of the rack. I have already hinted, 

 that reafon, and our moral duties, lay us under 

 a ft rift obligation of diligently feeking the re- 

 medy in all poftible cafes, and of not indolently 

 and falfcly fwclling the lift of unavoidable evils. 

 There appears to be no other remedy for the 

 evil of bad poft-horfes, than a general deter- 

 mination, among perfons of property and con- 

 fequenre, to encourage thofe inn-keepers who 

 drive none but able ones. If the difficulty of 



^ett.mi'- 



