OF NATURAL HISTORY. 4:50 



litaatioii two days without viftuals or drink. This treat- 

 ment is generally fufficient to render them more tradtable, 

 and they foon become as gentle as if they had never been 

 wild. Even when any of thefe horfes, by accident, regain 

 their liberty, they never relume their favage flate, but know 

 their mailers, and allow themfelves to be approached and re- 

 taken. 



From thefe, and fimilar fa6ls, it may be concluded, that 

 tiie difpoHtions of horfes are gentle, and that they are natur- 

 ally difpofed to affbciate with man. After they are tamed 

 they never forfake the abodes of men. On the contrary, 

 they are anxious to return to the ftable. The fweets of hab- 

 it feem to fupply all they have loft by flavery. When fa- 

 tigued, the manfion of repofe is full of comfort. They fmell 

 it at conliderable diftances, can diftinguifh it in the midfl: of 

 populous cities, and feem uniformly to prefer bondage to 

 liberty. By fome attention and addrefs colts are flrft ren- 

 dered tractable. When that point is gained, by different 

 modes of management, the docility of the animal is improv^- 

 ed, and they foon learn to perform with alacrity the various 

 labours affigned to them. The domeftication of the horfe 

 is perhaps the noblefl: acquilition from the animal world 

 which has ever been made by the genius, the art, and the in- 

 duftry of man. He is taught to partake of the dangers and 

 fatigues of war, and feems to enjoy the glory of vidlory. -He 

 encounters death with ardour and with magnanimity. He de- 

 lights in the tumult of arms, and attacks the enemy with re- 

 folutioa and alacrity. It is not in perils and conflicts alone 

 that the horfe co-operates with the difpolitions of his mafler. 

 He even feems to participate of human pleafures and amufe- 

 ments. He delights in the chafe and the tournament, and 

 his eyes fparkle with emulation in the courfe. Though bold 

 and intrepid, however, he does not allow himfelf to be hur- 

 ried on by a furious ardour. On proper occafions, he re- 



