152 



THE POST-HORSE. 



ANTIQUITY OF POSTING IMPROVED CHARACTER AND 



APPEARANCE OF THE POST-HORSE FORM. 



This description of horse is one of the most use- 

 ful we have, and is of very ancient date. He is 

 spoken of by Xenophon, in allusion to the posts 

 instituted by the first Cyrus, and as the most ex- 

 peditious method of travelling by land ; although, 

 perhaps, he was chiefly made use of to forward 

 public despatches. Augustus was the first to in- 

 troduce post-houses, and consequently post-horses 

 and post-chaises, amongst the Romans, disposed at 

 convenient distances, but these were chiefly for the 

 purpose of political intelligence. Then, in a letter 

 from Pliny to Trajan, we find him informing the 

 emperor of his having granted a courier a warrant 

 to make use of the public posts, as he wished him 

 to be quickly in possession of some important facts, 

 communicated to him by the King of Sardinia ; 

 and he subsequently apologizes to his royal master 

 for having ventured, on his own responsibility, to 

 grant an order for his wife to be forwarded by post- 

 chaises, on occasion of a domestic afiiiction. His 

 letter produced a kind answer from the emperor, 



