352 ON THE ART OF SHOEING. 



chapel Church, upon a horfe fo fhod. And yet 

 how extremely few are the accidents, in pro- 

 portion to what might be reafonably expected. 

 Within four or five years, although I have 

 looked out, I have witneffed only fix or feven 

 cafes of horfes Hipping up all fours upon the 

 Hones, and falling upon their fides ; in but one 

 or two of which, the rider had his limbs 

 broken. One would fuppofe, at any rate, that 

 riding in London, rauft be within the verge of 

 the court of particular providence. Were 

 thefe break-neck hazards unavoidable, it would 

 be a commendable mark of philofophy, and 

 indeed of duty, to meet them with fortitude 

 and refignation ; but in what terms is the cir- 

 cumftance to be defcribed, when it is certain 

 they are incurred for no other purpofe in the 

 world of things, than purely to humour the 

 delectable prejudices of an anvil-headed far- 

 rier. In good truth, honefty requires it to be 

 told, both in Gath and Afkalon, the whole 

 fault is fairly to be attributed to the habitual 

 indolence of property. There are fome toils 

 to which even the rich mud fubmit. True 

 knowledge is not to be acquired, or the acqui- 

 fition to be enjoyed, by deputy : and if gentle- 

 men and large proprietors of horfes are de- 

 firous to avoid the difficulties, and dangers, and 

 cruelties, perpetually refulting from prejudice, 

 ignorance, and knavery combined, they muft 



embrace 



