460 ' THE PHILOSOPHY 



prefles his movements, and knows how to check the natural 

 fire of his temper. He not only yields to the hand, but 

 feems to confult the inclination of his rider. Always obe- 

 dient to the imprefHons he receives, he flies or ftops, and 

 regulates his motions folely by the will of his mafter. 



Mr. Ray, who wrote about the end of lad century, in- 

 forms us, that he had feen a horfe who danced to mufic, 

 who, at the command of his mafter, affefted to be lame, who 

 fimulated death, lay motionlefs with his limbs extended, and 

 allowed himfelf to be dragged about, till fome words were 

 pronounced, when he inftantly fprung upon his feet*. Fa6ls 

 of this kind would fcarcely receive credit, if every perfon 

 were not now acquainted with the wonderful docility of the 

 horfes educated by Aftley, and other public exhibitors of 

 horfemanfhip. In exhibitions of this kind, the docility and 

 prompt obedience of the animals deferve more admiration 

 than the dexterous feats of the men. 



Animals of the ox>kind, in a domeftic ftate, are dull and 

 phlegmatic. Their fenfibility and talents feem to be very 

 limited. But we fliould not pronounce rafhly concerning 

 the genius and powers of animals in a country where their 

 education is totally negledled. In all the fouthern provinces 

 of Africa and Afia, there are many wild bifons, or bunched 

 oxen, which are taken when young and tamed. They are 

 foon taught to fubmit, without refiftance, to all kinds of do- 

 meftic labour. They become fo tradable, that they are 

 managed with as much eafe as our horfes. The voice of 

 their mafter is alone fufficient to make them obey, and to 

 direct their courfe. They are fhod, curried, carefled, and 

 fupplied abundantly with the beft food. When managed In 

 this manner, thefe animals appear to be different creatures 

 from our oxen. The oxen of the Hottentots are favourite 

 domeftics, companions in amufements, affiftants in all labori- 



* Rail f ynopfis Anlmalium Quadrupedum, page IQ, 



