THE HORSE. 269 



number of public racecourses in Britain, to 70. — 

 Weatherby's Racing Calendar for 1786, gives 1051 

 subscribers, and 83 racecourses. The present year 

 exhibits a vast addition. We find the name of the 

 first Weatherby, as publisher of the Racing Calendar, 

 in 1772. 



The South Eastern horse, bred and nurtured in 

 all-improving Britain, however sleek, and fine, and 

 delicate, is beyond comparison the most useful of the 

 species. This is not the mere declamation of affec- 

 tion and prejudice, it is pure matter of experimented 

 fact. Bred horses are applicable to a greater variety 

 of useful purposes than any other, excelling in nearly 

 all. They have greater strength in proportion, from 

 the superior toughness of substance in their tendons, 

 muscles, and ligaments, and solidity of their bones. 

 They are able to carry greater weights, and with su- 

 perior speed. Proof of the first instance was appa- 

 rent in that not very merciful experimental match, in 

 which Mr. Vernon's Amelia beat the miller's horse, 

 at his own play, loading his back with sacks of flour. 

 I remember to have seen Bullock, the brewer, riding 

 twenty stones, cantering over the London pavement, 

 upon a little bred horse not much above fourteen 

 hands. We breed them up to a great size, and some 

 of the sons of the Godolphin Arabian and of Eclipse, 

 would have done honour, in point of size and power, 

 to the shafts of a dray. It is no doubt however, ques- 

 tionable, whether in point of form and of goodness, 

 we have not receded some points below the standard 

 of fifty and sixty years past, the days of Eclipse 

 and Highflyer, and a long contemporary list of ce- 

 lebrated runners; whether we have not bred our 



