HISTORY OF 



tresses. Thus this faithful animal, which, were 

 there no horses, would be the first of the quad- 

 ruped kind in our esteem, is now considered as 

 nothing ; his properties and qualifications being 

 found in a higher degree elsewhere, he is entirely 

 disregarded ; and, from being the second, he is 

 degraded into one of the most useless of the do- 

 mestic quadrupeds. 



For this reason, very little care has been taken 

 to improve the breed ; it is suffered to degenerate 5 

 and it is probable, that, of all other animals, this 

 alone is rendered feebler and more diminutive 

 by being in a state of domestic servitude. The 

 horse, the cow, and the sheep, are rendered 

 larger by the assiduity of man ; the ass is suf- 

 fered to dwindle every generation, and particu- 

 larly in England, where it is probable that, but 

 for the medicinal qualities of its milk, the whole 

 species would have ere now been extinguished. 

 Nevertheless, we have good reasons to believe, 

 that, were the same care bestowed on the ass that 

 is spent upon the horse, were the same industry 

 used in crossing the breed and improving it, we 

 should see the ass become, from his present mean 

 state, a very portly and serviceable animal ; we 

 should find him rival the horse in some of his 

 perfections, and exceed him in others. The ass, 

 bulk for bulk, is stronger than the horse ; is more 

 sure-footed ; and, though more slow in his mo- 

 tions, he is much less apt to start out of the way. 



The Spaniards, of all people in Europe, seem . 

 alone to be acquainted with the value of the ass. 

 They take all proper precautions to improve the 



