130 THE HORSE. 



" Now for the accustomed ceremonial of examining 

 a horse in order to purchase. Having already been 

 made acquainted with the terms, and that the nag is 

 quiet to approach, giving him some gentle warning 

 with your voice, you go up to him in his stall, on the 

 near (left) side, and laying your hand on his forehand 

 (touching his height), you proceed from thence to 

 examine his eyes, mouth, and countenance ; still 

 holding his head, and turning your own to the right 

 about, you have a view of the curve of his neck, the 

 height of his forehand, the position of his shoulder, 

 and the substance of his forearm. Returning to his 

 forehand, you descend to his legs and feet, minutely 

 examining with your fingers, every part, from above, 

 below, withinside, and without. You will not forget 

 the virgin integrity of the knees, so much and so 

 justly in request : so difficult is this to repair, either 

 by nature or art, when once violated, that I am almost 

 tempted to add it as a fifth, to the four irrevocable 

 things, tempusyjuventus, verbum dictum, et virginitas* 



" Being satisfied respecting his foretrain, your eye 

 and hand will glance over his back, girting place, 

 carcass and loins; thence proceeding to his hinder- 

 quarter, and the setting on of his tail. You will 

 judge how far he agrees in each and every respect 

 with those rules of proportion already laid down. — 

 The hinder legs and feet will demand a share of at- 

 tention, full as minute as the fore ones ; and I must 

 once again repeat my advice, that the inside or hollow 

 of the hock be not passed without due notice, as is 

 commonly the case ; since it often happens, that the 



