PREFACE. li 



plies, that the first and the most difiicult teaching of civiliza- 

 tion ever concerns man's behavior to his inferiors. Make 

 humanity gentle or reasonable toward animals, and strife 

 or injustice between human beings would speedily termin- 

 ate. But instruction to be effective should be convincing : 

 therefore, purposely avoiding sentimentality, the author 

 has sought to enlist the feeling only by satisfying the 

 judgment. 



Such are the purposes which induced "Horse Manage- 

 ment" to be indited. But high as the object may be, the 

 writer, when submitting his labors to the notice of the pub- 

 lic, cannot otherwise than feel there is a common phrase, 

 which passes current for criticism, and to which this book 

 is peculiarly exposed. The colloquialism alluded to is the 

 more insidious because it rather appeals to a prejudice than 

 expresses anything absolute or definite. It rests upon a 

 word in general use among the superficial of every profes- 

 sion, and that word is one which, in the public credulity, 

 exalts the individual who abuses it. Let a medical practi- 

 tioner study to master the rudiments of his calling, and the 

 purpose of his assiduity will be whispered away by insinua- 

 tions about the student being a most admirable theorist; 

 but, unhappily, not being ^^ di practical man." 



Another individual shall earn disgrace at college. Yet 

 this man shall start business to knock about the drugs and 

 hack at living flesh, without comprehending the parts he is 

 interfering with or having any knowledge of the medicines 

 which he ventures to administer. This last person, though 

 he neither adorns nor enlarges the sphere in which he acts, 

 invariably attains the lucrative repute of being "a purely 

 'practical man." The notoriety brings profit to the object 



