INTEREST THE LEADING PRINCIPLE IN MAN. 199 



fore take another " line of country," and one that 

 always gives a glorious run, the line of man's in- 

 terest. Here every one is wide awake in a moment, tries 

 to get a good start, and is anxious to keep in the first 

 flight. It is true, many take the wrong way to do 

 either ; but they all try at it. May every heart of the 

 right sort find itself in that place ere the grim Hunts- 

 man we must all obey gives his deciding who-whoop ! 

 The breeder who has a valuable brood mare of 

 course wishes to keep her as free from accident as 

 possible. In no way can he do that more than by 

 rendering her as tame and quiet as possible. The 

 same rule holds good with the colt while running with 

 the dam ; and when the time arrives that he will be 

 wanted for use, I believe most persons will agree with 

 me that the less trouble he gives in learning his duties, 

 whatever they may be, the better it will be for his 

 safety and for the pocket of his owner. With the gene- 

 rality of colts, treated as they mostly are, their wildness 

 is the first stumbling block in the way of the breaker. 

 Till this is got over, no good can be got from them. 

 Then their natural timidity has to be assuaged ; for 

 though a horse may be made to do some things by 

 force and punishment, we can teach him nothing while 

 in a state of alarm. So long as this lasts, all his 

 energies are employed in resistance, or endeavouring 

 to get away. The hare, as timid an animal as any 

 in nature, can be brought to fire a pistol without 

 evincing or probably feeling the slightest alarm ; but 

 at the commencement of her tuition, all the punish- 

 ment we could inflict would not induce her to remain 

 quiet at the slightest flash of the pan. We have no 

 greater right to expect a colt to permit even a surcingle 

 to be put on him without resisting, or being alarmed 



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