ON THE GECONOMY OF THE STABLE. 53 



quite bald ; another of the thoufand inflances 

 in which common fenfe is outraged in com- 

 plaifance to filly and capricious habit. I have 

 no eyes to" fee what advantage there can pof- 

 fibly be in a plug-tail, to countervail the barba- 

 rous defeft of a good brufh, with which nature 

 has intended the animal (hould defend himfelf 

 from the goa dings of infc6ls in the fummer 

 feafon. Here, as in all other cafes of cruelty, 

 error, or prejudice, the people of confequence 

 (liould take the lead of reformation ; they 

 fhould neither fuffer the tails of their own colts 

 to be tbus.exceffively curtailed, nor purchafe 

 any cart-horfes with fuch defeft — their exam- ^ 

 pie would foon prevail. I have fometim^s feen 

 horfe^ fo exceedingly tormented in the fields, 

 during the fly feafon, as to be almoft entirely , 

 deprived both of reft and feeding in the day 

 time, and have determined in confequence, to 

 accommodate fuch as were defeftive in that 

 refpeft, with long falfe tails for their defence ; a 

 method faid to be praftifed in Italy. So much^ 

 however, am I an advocate for faftiion, where 

 tlie facrifice of reafon and utility is not too 

 great, that I cannot help agreeing with thole 

 country gentlemen, who have fine teams of 

 large thorough-bred cart-horfes, and who pre- 

 ferve the hair of their heels untouched. Their 

 full fuit of hair, certainly gives thofe huge ani- 

 mals a more ftately and majeflic appearance : 



and 



