230 THE HORSE IN HISTORY 



the prices were considerably in excess of these 

 sums. 



It is amusing to read that the duke spoke 

 in terms almost of contempt of the Barb, for it 

 shows that in one respect at least he must have 

 been prejudiced in much the same way that some 

 of our modern owners and trainers of thorough- 

 breds are prejudiced. 



Yet he was firmly convinced that many of the 

 horses imported from such countries as Germany, 

 Denmark and Holland were well suited for 

 harness work and for the plough. 



In face of this, and in face also of his strong 

 bias in favour of Spanish stallions, it is surprising 

 to hear that he deemed the English horse to be 

 "the best horse in the whole world for all uses 

 whatever, from the cart to the manage," and that 

 he even considered some of them to be "as 

 beautiful horses as can be anywhere, for they are 

 bred out of all the horses of all nations." 



Equally enthusiastic upon the subject of the 

 English horse and its merits, and upon its superi- 

 ority over the horses of other nations, was Marshal 

 de Bassompierre, who has something to say about 

 them in the interesting memoirs of his embassy 

 in England in 1626. 



Thus after telling us that during his residence 

 in this country he received from some of the high 

 officers of state, also from the king himself, a 

 present of fine horses, he goes on to mention 



