DEFINITIVE SYNTHESIS. 431 



difference. It is necessary, on the contrary, to endeavor to ascertain 

 whether the defects are not compensated by the good qualities, and if 

 so, to what degree this compensation exists. 



It is known that, in a locomotive, for example, the velocity depends 

 upon the diameter of the wheels and the number of strokes of the 

 piston in a given unit of time. Now, we can conceive a machine 

 quite as fast, with smaller wheels, provided the latter are constructed 

 in such a manner that the number of their revolutions redeems what 

 they lose by the smallness of their circumference. It is known, also, 

 that the diameter of the wheels diminishes the conditions of stability. 

 Nevertheless, we can construct a locomotive quite as large and as 

 stable by lessening this inconvenience by a device of some kind which 

 will augment the bulk without rendering it excessive, or which will 

 bring the centre of gravity nearer to the soil. The piston, whose 

 force is in relation with the extent of its surface and the intensity of 

 the pressure which is exerted upon it, will be of equal power, although 

 smaller, provided we have a boiler in which the steam can be raised to 

 a higher tension. In each of these circumstances we have compensa- 

 tions which render the mechanism, if not perfect from a theoretical 

 point of view, at least very useful, economically speaking, since we 

 have succeeded in adapting its wheels, somewhat defective, to the kind 

 of service for which they were at first insufficient. 



Likewise, in the horse, it frequently happens that a good quality 

 annuls a defect, or that one defect may be counterbalanced by another 

 whose influence is diametrically opposite. Let us explain this by some 

 examples. For the sake of brevity, we will present them in tabular 

 form, placing on one side the defects, on the other the principal corre- 

 sponding compensations. The reader must now be sufficiently familiar 

 with all these facts to spare us the necessity of entering into details 

 which would lead us too far away. Besides, he always has the oppor- 

 tunity to refer to our descriptions of the regions, in case he should not 

 be able readily to grasp the value of these compensations. 



EXAMPLES OF COMPENSATIONS. 



DEFECTS. CORRESPONDING COMPENSATIONS. 



Too voluminous head Neck rather short, well muscled. 



Head too common Ears well placed, eyes expressive, physiognomy bright. 



Neck too short Head light, well attached: withers prominent, shoulder 



beautiful. 



Withers thick and fleshy High in front, beautiful shoulder and good axes in front. 



Withers low Hind-quarters powerful, fore-quarters light, good equi- 

 librium, members strong. 



