440 THE HORSE. 



master, and gives up all his powers to his use, this creature 

 seems to yield an unwilling service, and to feel the degrada- 

 tion of servitude. Yet he submits with patience to his lot, 

 and his progeny do not seem to recover the wildness of their 

 parents ; for it is not known that the progeny of the domes- 

 ticated Ass ever seek to regain their liberty by joining their 

 fellows of the desert. It is otherwise with the Horse, who 

 is readily tempted to join the emancipated herds, and fly from 

 the bondage in which he has lived. In South America, nu- 

 merous Asses have been allowed to escape into the plains, 

 and multiply in a state of nature ; but they never acquire 

 the habits of their free-born progenitors of the desert : they 

 linger near the places of their birth, and fall an easy prey to 

 their enemies. The change of nature in the Ass, by the 

 effects of subjugation, is entire. It seems to be less the 

 effect of discipline and education than of simple deprivation 

 of liberty. Thus it is that the Ass was amongst the earliest 

 of the quadrupeds subjected to permanent servitude, and re- 

 tains so strongly the impress of slavery. 



In his state of domestication, the Ass is patient of thirst 

 and toil, and able to subsist on dry and scanty forage. He 

 does not seem to be sensible of cold, but he fears wetness, 

 and is reluctant to enter pools and rivers. He is a strong 

 animal, arid is better adapted to the bearing of burdens and 

 drawing of weights than, from his slender limbs and relative 

 bulk of body, could be inferred. He is docile and cheerful 

 under his burden when kindly used ; but when urged to tasks 

 beyond his strength, and assailed by unmerited blows, he 

 manifests his natural temper. He sometimes draws up his 

 lips in a peculiar manner, and shews his teeth with a savage 

 grin ; an expression of dumb agony which should speak to 

 the feelings, in place of exciting derision and repetition of 

 insult. It is painful to think that this creature, so meek, so 

 patient in our service, so grateful for our kindness, should 

 be too generally treated with contumely and harshness. Do 

 we not consider that he is a creature who is only degraded 



