BACE-HOESES.] 



THE HOKSE, A.:N D 



[BACE-HOE3E3. 



brated feats of the white and scarlet. There 

 was Sam winning the Derby in 1818 ; Sailor, 

 victorious for the same stakes in 1820 ; a fine 

 plate of Orville ; and one of Herring's admi- 

 rable likenesses of Emilias. In front of his 

 dwelling ran a sparkling stream, and just 

 beyond it was a moving zoological panorama, 

 such as no nobleman in the land could show, 

 and which may be called a description of the 

 once celebrated stud at Eiddlesworth." 



In France, as already observed, there is not 

 the same inducements as in this country 

 for fostering and encouraging thorough-bred 

 horses. Napoleon I. used to send studs into 

 the different French provinces, to maintain 

 the highest breed. One of these, at Auch, 

 capital of Gascony, consisted of horses of 

 various countries— the Arab, Barb, &c. ; and 

 among these was one which attracted much 

 attention. He was an English thorough-bred, 

 Btanding full sixteen hands high ; was called 

 Eomulus, and was said to be above thirty 

 years of age. He had all the appearance of 

 age, having lost his flesh ; but there was his 

 eye and noble forehand, which indicated both 

 dignity and high breeding. There was nothing 

 to resemble him. The other stallions were 

 full of flesh and pretty ; but the English horse, 

 for size and speed, never could appear to more 

 advantage than when in such company. They 

 certainly were handsome and beautiful to look 

 at ; but Eomulus had the same appearance of 

 nobility and dignity over bis tribe, as may be 

 supposed to have been possessed by John P. 

 Kemble, in Coriolanus, over a common actor. 



We have spoken of the division of property 

 in France being very minute; and in Gas- 

 cony, especially, most of the farms are very 

 small, and cultivated chiefly by their pro- 

 prietors. In many of these patriarchal abodes 

 will be found the great-grandfather, sur- 

 rounded by a portion of his descendants, at 

 the same fire; for here the daughters bring 

 their husbands home; and it is a pleasing 

 sight to see them all engaged in one general 

 interest and pursuit : the young girl handling 

 a pitchfork, and filling the cart, with as 

 much animation and zeal as her brothers. 

 But— 



" England, with all thy faults, we love thee still." 



Here we see the large broad hand, and the 



64; 



hale complexion of wholesome labour ! We 

 turn our thoughts to Manchester, to Shefiield, 

 Birmingham, &c., and the thin, pallid, ema- 

 ciated appearance of their inhabitants ; and 

 we never feel the contrast so strong between 

 the happiness of the followers of agriculture, 

 and that of those engaged in manufactures, as 

 at the time when we compare the harmony and 

 quiet incident to rural pursuits, with those of 

 the city. With the condition of riches we 

 have here nothing to do. It is of the condi- 

 tions of men we are speaking ; and what we 

 are mostly thinking of, is the barn with its 

 wheat ; the yard with its dogs, cows, pigs, and 

 poultry ; the fields, and the horses. 



Since the days of Napoleon I., we should 

 think the breed of horses may have, in some 

 degree, improved in France, as a tolerable 

 sprinkling of English mares would have been 

 left in that country by the army of occupation ; 

 and a long peace no doubt enabled the French 

 government to avail itself of all opportunities 

 to improve their breed. It is therefore natural 

 to suppose that her cavalry and artillery may 

 now be better horsed than they were. Hunt- 

 ing, however, is not a popular amusement in 

 France. TheEevolution took away the game- 

 laws, and the rights of the Seigneurs; nor 

 would the present race of French farmers sub- 

 mit very quietly to witness their lands tra- 

 versed by dogs and a field of horsemen ; there- 

 fore, we do not suppose that there is any 

 probability of hunters being wanted beyond 

 the royal chases. 



England is therefore so differently situated 

 to France, that what may suit one country, 

 and, in its effbcts, may be beneficial, to the 

 other might be considered a nuisance. A 

 farmer, in England, surrounded by the squire- 

 archy of his neighbourhood, and partaking of 

 the joys and amusement of the chase, thinks 

 nothing of the damage which a field of horse- 

 men and dogs may do to his corn-crop ; be- 

 lieving he may be repaid for the damage done 

 by their encouraging the demand for horses, of 

 which he is himself the breeder. However, if 

 he does complain, and there is reasonableness 

 in the demand, there is always wealth enough, 

 and we believe liberality enough, to indemnify 

 him for any damage he might sustain on 

 account of the hunting establishment; con- 

 sequently he becomes a partner and preserver 



