18 HISTORY OF THE SHORT- HORNS. 



Minerva, from the head of Jupiter, should have burst out in the full 

 proportions of shape, color and condition, at the time we first hear 

 of them about the year 1700 from the coarse, unimproved herds 

 of previous centuries. 



SECOND PERIOD OF THE SHORT-HORNS. 



In the preceding rambling, desultory, and (as some of our readers 

 may pronounce) irrelevant remarks, have .been narrated the reasons 

 why, if any progress had been made in the improvement of the 

 neat cattle of England through past centuries down to nearly the 

 year 1700, we have no certain evidences of the fact recorded until 

 a comparatively recent date. We think the causes enumerated have 

 been sufficient to explain. For the improvement which had taken 

 place, tradition (uncertain, to be sure, when unaccompanied with sus- 

 taining probabilities) has done something to inform us, and recorded 

 observation since, has done much more. A period of general quie- 

 tude in England, with only occasional interruptions, since the expul- 

 sion of the Stuarts from the throne, in the year 1688, had given an 

 unwonted impulse to the thrift and progress of every department of 

 her industry, advancing her to a high position among the leading 

 powers of Europe, both in commerce, manufactures, and the exten- 

 sion of her distant colonies. As a matter of necessity her agriculture 

 had been largely developed and improved, and with that improvement 

 no doubt much attention had been paid to the better quality and 

 value of her domestic animals. To the various breeds of cattle 

 which England possessed, down to about the period named, we shall 

 pay no attention other than the Short-horns, the object of this trea- 

 tise, argument, history, or whatever it may be called, being solely 

 relating to them, as they existed anterior to their appearance at that 

 time, and their condition through various stages of advancement to 

 the present day. 



The work we have undertaken, down to the period of our own mem- 

 ory and observation, must, of course, chiefly consist of a compilation 

 from the writings and records of others, and from these will be given 

 as faithful a transcript as possible, throwing out matter of doubtful 

 authority, and admitting all which has the semblance of fact and 

 probability. Exact facts, in all cases, cannot be ascertained ; but an 

 approximation to facts may be, and such we shall strive to give, with- 

 out alteration or color. Yet, to give the semblance of probability to 

 what may be said, the observant reader must at once admit, and 



