THE HORSE. 89 



the arrival of the Darley and Godolphin 



Arabians, as far as the thorough-bred 



was concerned, by a cross, to create almost 



perfection. For by tradition we learn that The horses 

 ^ -^ of the past- 



Flying Childers was the fastest horse of ^^^^ ^^^^ 



his day over a long distance, and no 



horse that ever lived has before or since 



made the time Eclipse is said to have 



done. If such was the case we cannot 



boast that we now breed horses of the 



same metal. 



The first cross with Oriental horses 



produced a marked improvement ; but by 



the continuous reapplication of the same 



strain, by intermixture between the Evils of in 



and in 



strain produced, the faults consequent ^reedinff. 

 upon in and in breeding soon became 

 manifest, and the British race-horse began 

 to lose those qualities which had been 



