52 r.EPORTs. 



Arabia as its home, wliile others claim Etrypt. The first men- 

 tion of the horse is in Genesis ; and it, like the cow, sheep and 

 dog, appears to have been early placed nndei- the direction of 

 man as if created " a domestic animal " for his use, howso- 

 ever, -whensoever and whercsojvei- needed, — and always to bo 

 humanely treated when thus employed, for, the merciful man 

 ever regardcth the life of his beast, said an ancient oriental 

 Sage. Having thus biiefly sketched the history of the horse, 

 it may not be deemed inappropriate to cite Job's inimitable de- 

 scription of this animal, so transcendently sublime and grand, 

 elegant, truthful and beautiful, as to.havc been the admiration 

 of all past ages as it will continue" to be of all coming time. 

 It is quoted as thrown into the hemistich form, as it appears in 

 the original, in which Hebrew poetry is written. God is rep- 

 resented as speaking to Job and asking him: — 



ITast tliou s'lvpii the Iiorse strength ? 

 Ilast thou clolIieJ his neck witli thunder ? 

 Canst tliou niiike liim afraid as a grasshopper? 

 The glory of liis nostrils is terrible ! 

 lie paweth in tlie vaHey, and rcjoieetii in strength : 

 lie goeth on to meet the armed men. 

 He mockelh at fear, and is not alTrighted: 

 I ITeither tuinelh he back from the sword. 



Against him rattleth the quiver, 

 The glittering spear and the shield. 

 He swalloweth the ground with rage and fierceness : 

 Nor doth he believe that it is the sound of the trumpet. 

 He saith among the trumpets, Ila, ha! 

 And from afar he scenteth the battle, 

 The thunder of the captains, and^the shouting. 



In comparing this marvellous description of the horse by the 

 great Hebrew poet,— compassing all the great and sprightly 

 images which the thought of man can form or conceive of this 

 proud animal, expressed in a style of vigor, force and beauty, — 

 with the descriptions of Homer and Virgil, those of both the 



