88 PREPARATION. 



some unfortunate hack whose only release from the burden of 

 perpetual toil is death. Agricultural horses, carriage and 

 other horses, and even the poor and illiterate costermongers' 

 donkeys, are exempt from work on Sunday ; and by such a 

 benevolent action their owners show themselves greatly in ad- 

 vance of those who gallop their horses on that day against the 

 dictates of reason and the usages of modern civilized society. 



And what after all is the incentive ? It is the fashion, that 

 is all. One does it, and another must follow in his footsteps, 

 or be thought singular or affected by his neighbours. But 

 stronger reasons than this should be given for its continuance, 

 or the objectionable practice should be at once and for ever 

 abolished. It may furthermore be remarked that the cab 

 horse, working but six days a week, is capable of doing, and 

 does, more work than the horse working the whole seven. 

 This, which I have from a very good source, and thoroughly 

 believe, should be sufficient proof in favour of Sunday rest, 

 even if nothing else could be said for it, to induce owners to 

 keep their horses in the stable one day a week. In wet 

 weather they are kept in sometimes for days together ; a 

 sufficient guarantee that the one day's rest would do no 

 injury. 



As one instance of marked consideration in this respect I 

 may mention that the late Lord Ribblesdale came all the 

 way from the Falls of Niagara to see his horses tried. He 

 arrived here (Woodyates) late on Saturday night, with the 

 intention of seeing them tried the following day. But 

 though he had only that day at his disposal, having to leave 

 early on Monday morning to return to his ship, which had 

 merely called at Southampton for forty-eight hours, he re- 

 frained from doing so, and saw them in the stable only. I 

 tried the horses on the Monday and sent him the result. 



