THE ASS. 33 



Spanish and Egyptian asses. 



Some asses, after being long used to these jour- 

 nies, become famous for their skill and safety : 

 and their value is augmented in proportion to 

 their celebrity. 



The Spanish breed of Asses has, by unremit- 

 ting care and attention, become the finest in the 

 world; as they unite in themselves the advanta- 

 ges of strength and elegance ; and are often 

 found to rise to the height of fifteen hands. The 

 Romans had a breed which they held in such es- 

 timation, that Pliny mentions one of the stallions 

 selling for upwards of three thousand pounds of 

 our money ; and the same author remarks, that 

 in Celtiberia, a province of Spain, a she-ass has 

 produced colts which were valued for nearly the 

 same sum. It also appear^ from the accounts of 

 modern travellers, that the finest of the Spanish 

 asses sometimes sell fc-r a hundred guineas or 

 upwards. \ 



In Egypt and Arabia asses are frequently seen 

 of great size and elegance ; and in their attitudes* 

 and movements they exhibit a degree of grace- 

 fulness unknown even in those of Spain. Their 

 step is light and sure, and their paces are brisk, 

 and easy. They are not only in common use for 

 jiding on in Egypt, but the Mahometan mer- 

 chants, the most opulent of the inhabitants, and 

 even ladies of the highest rank, use them ; and 

 not long since, they were the only animals on 

 which Christians of any rank or quality were per^ 

 mittcd to appear in the capital. 



