14 THE RACE-HOKSE. 



proportioned horses, possess the power or parts con- 

 ducive to speed and action ? If blood can be defined 

 the peculiar elegance in the texture of the external 

 parts, how happens it that several very ugly horses 

 and mares have at all times distinguished themselves 

 on the Turf? Are there certain occult causes, not 

 discoverable to the eye, that produce this excel- 

 lence, to which the rules and laws of action appear 

 to be opposed I On these points it may be observed, 

 first, that the force and elfect of muscular motion 

 is nearly beyond our ken ; and, secondly, such 

 horses are really not misshapen, inasmuch as they 

 are hidden virtues in the mechanism of their inter- 

 nal frames, which the eye cannot detect ; and w^liere 

 deficient in one point, tliey are recompensed by 

 additional powders in others. They possess the 

 essential points, although not so elegantly dis- 

 played ; and this, we believe, is the case with other 

 animals than the horse ; although, generally speak- 

 ing, true symmetry in all is attended with corres- 

 ponding excellence in their .useful properties, and 

 adaptation to the purposes of man. 



Those persons who insist upon an innate quality 

 in wdiat is termed " blood,"*"* are led to believe that 

 there is something in the nature of a thorough-bred 

 horse, which enables him to* struggle in a race far 

 beyond his natural capabilities, and which is distin- 

 ofuished bv the term " same.'' We do not think 

 there is. We learn from experience that horses 

 often allow themselves to be beaten by others which 

 are inferior to them, from sheer ill temper ; but 

 their efforts to loin a race, we consider to be merely 



