Conclusion. 197 



the opinion of the late lamented proprietor, when this 

 Arab scheme was brought to his notice, a few years ago. 

 Mr. Blenkiron acknowledged the correctness of the 

 theory. He said, ' It certainly would have been the 

 only true plan upon which to have started ; I can see 

 that plainly, I tell you what ; if it had been brought 

 to my notice when I first commenced breeding, I would 

 have done it ; notwithstanding I have established my 

 stud and have so- much invested in it, were I only a few 

 years younger, I would take it up myself now, and 

 begin breeding again.' To be done at all it must be 

 done well and thoroughly. It would be a great national 

 benefit, for the pro.sperity of the horse is intimately 

 connected with the welfare of a country : 



Effodere loco signum, quod regia Juno 

 Monstrarat, caput acris equi : sic nam fore bello 

 Egregiam et facilem victu per srecula gentem. 



/Eneidos, lib. 1. 



' Afterwards Queen of cities, mistress of the seas, Car- 

 thage forgot the sign of what was to be her strength, 

 became enslaved by commerce, and fell' 



The English horse is a compound of those found in 

 Britain in Caesar's time (whether introduced by the 

 Kelt or Belgae) the Roman horse — also a compound 

 animal, or rather, many compound animals ; then the 

 Saxon horse, not unlikely of Persian extraction — even, 

 perhaps, after the Persian had been improved by Arabian 

 blood, but, in all probability, much modified and consider- 

 ably changed during the progress of the Saxons from the 

 Araxis to Jutland, and their long residence between the 



