AN ESSAY ON THE CONDITION OF A STALLION. 215 



Almost every observing farmer in this country has remarked that whenever, 

 within his knowledge, an ordinary work-horse has, by chance, covered a toler- 

 ably good mare, the foal thus produced has, at maturity, almost invariably be- 

 come a better animal than it was expected to be, and in many cases proved quite 

 superior to the get of the high-priced and highly pampered stallions of the 

 neighborhood. What Avas the cause of this? Condition. The work-horse, by 

 constant and severe exercise, was brought into health and strength, and his 

 stock partook of the state of his system at the time of copulation. Why is it 

 that many experienced farmers, after having tried the best stallions within their 

 knowledge, frequently resort to the keeping of one of their own colts or farm- 

 horses entire, for the service of their mares, and actually obtain as large and as 

 good and salable stock from such a one, as that from the public stallions of far 

 superior size, form, blood, and all other qualities, except this indispensable 

 condition ? 



It may be stated that, generally, whenever the get of a stallion has proved, at 

 maturity, to be of remarkable excellence comparatively with the sire, such 

 horse has been, at and previously to the time of getting such valuable stock, 

 kept without pampering, without excessive sexual service, and with a good 

 share of exercise or labor. 



To show the effect of a peculiar state of the system in the parents at the time 

 of copulation, instances may be cited from various sources. We will content 

 ourselves with two — and first take a lamentable case in the human species as 

 given in the valuable work on " The Constitution of Man," by George Combe: 



"In the summer of 1827, the practitioner and. after the lapse of an hour were found to- 

 alluded to was called upon to visit profes- ! gether in a glen, in a state of utter insensi- 

 sioually a young woman iu the immediate i bility, from the effects of their former fes- 

 neigliborhood, who was safely delivered of a ! tivity ; and the consequence of this interview 



male child. As the paities appeared to be 

 respectable, he made some inquiries regard- 

 ing the absence of tlie child's father, when 

 the old woman told him that her daughter 

 was sUill unmarried; that the child's father 

 belonged to a regiment in Ireland ; that last 

 autumn he had obtained leave of absence to 

 visit his friends in this part of the countiy, 

 and that, on the eve of his departure to join 

 his regiment, an entertainment was given, at 

 which her daughter attended. During the 

 whole evening she and the soldier danced 

 and sang together ; when heated by the 

 toddy and the dance, they left the cottage, 



was the birth of an idiot. He is now nearly 

 six years of age, and his mother does not be- 

 lieve that he is able to recognize either her- 

 self or any other individual. He is quite in- 

 capable of malving signs whereby his wants 

 can be made known, with this exception, 

 that when hungiy he gives a wild shriek. 

 This is a case upon wliich it would be pain- 

 ful to dwell, and I shall only remark that the 

 parents are both intelligent, and that the 

 fatal result cannot otherwise be accounted for 

 than by the almost total prostration or eclipse 

 of the intellect of both parties from uitoxi- 

 cation." 



For another instance of a peculiar constitution derived from a parent at the 

 time of copulation, and owing to a temporary excitement of the animal, a re- 

 spectable farmer related to the writer of this Essay that he witnessed the effect 

 of pain and nervous agitation on a stallion just before the moment of covering, 

 in the production of a wild, timid, violent and worthless colt. The sire was in 

 repute as one of the best horses ever kept in the district ; and his stock after- 

 ward justified the opinion. The groom became angry and beat him in his stall 

 in a cruel manner, and then led him out and allowed him to cover the mare, 

 which was one of a perfectly quiet and orderly temper. The consequence was 

 the production of an animal totally valueless, as above mentioned. 



That the doctrine here held is no "new thing under the sun " is evident from 

 many venerated authors. Plutarch says " The advice which I am now about to 

 give, is indeed no other than what hath been given by those who have under- 

 taken this argument before me. You will ask me what is that ? 'Tis this, that 

 no man keep company with his wife for issue sake, but when he is sober — as not 

 having before either drank any wine, or, at least, not to such a quantity as to 

 distemper him ; for they usually prove wine-bibbers and drunkards whose parents 

 begot them when they v/ere drunk : wherefore, Diogenes said to a stripling 

 somewhat crack-brained and half-witted, ' Surely, young man, thy father begot 

 thee when he was drunk !' " 



Shakspeare intimates the same belief in making a hero insult his enemies with 



the taunt " For ye were got in fear." 



(455) 



