182 ' MULES. 



thirty-five years old, as capable of labour as at any 

 former period. 



The great Roman naturalist, in one of the most 

 beautiful passages of his elaborate history of nature, 

 observes that " the earth is constantly teased more to 

 furnish the luxuries of man than his necessities."* — 

 We can have no doubt but that the remark applied 

 with great justice to the habits of the Romans in the 

 time of Pliny ; and I am m.uc'h mistaken if ample 

 proofs cannot be adduced, that it will lose none of its 

 force or truth, at this present period, in all northern 

 climates, or any section of the United States where 

 the horse is employed for agriculture as well as for 

 pleasure. Far be it from me, however, to disparage 

 this noble animal ; on the contrary, I feel a strong 

 attachment for him, and at the same time a full convic- 

 tion, that the substitution of the mule, for the purposes 

 before stated, as extensively as may be consistent with 

 the requisite production of each species, will have the 

 effect of restorins: the horse to the station from which 

 he has been degraded, and place him as in former 

 ages, upon a more dignified footing, an object of ac- 

 knowledged luxury ; and thereby introduce a more 



* " It is the earth that, like a kind mother receives us at our 

 birth, and sustains us when born. It is this alone, of all the ele- 

 ments around us, that is never found an enemy to man. The body 

 of waters deluge him with rains, oppress him with hail, and drown 

 him with inundations ; the air rushes on in storms, prepares the 

 tempest, or lights up the volcano ; but the earth, gentle and indul- 

 gent, ever subservient to the wants of man, spreads his walks with 

 flowers, and his table with plenty ; returns with interest every good 

 committed to her care, and though she produces the poison, she 

 still supplies the antidote, though constantly teased more to furnish 

 the luxuries of man, than his necessities, yet even to the last, she 

 continues her kind indulgence, and when life is over, she piously 

 hides his remains in her bosom." 



Pliny's Natural History, Booh II. Chap. 63. 



