554 THE HORSE. 



horses are on the watch, neigh, and express their joy. Food 

 being supplied, the litter is shaken, the stalls are made 

 comfortable, and the animals dressed. They are mounted 

 in the stable, and taken out to the downs and heaths for 

 exercise, which lasts for several hours. On their return 

 they are again dressed, and the boys permitted to break 

 their fast ; and nothing, our author tells us, can exceed the 

 enjoyment of a stable-boy's breakfast. The duties of the 

 stable are then resumed, and again the horses are taken to 

 the training-grounds, and again subjected to their long exer- 

 cise. These horses, hot in blood, tender from constant cloth- 

 ing and rubbing, are skittish, often vicious, easily and sud- 

 denly alarmed, irritable, and dangerous even in their play. 

 The youthful horsemen acquire by degrees a firm seat, cling- 

 ing to their fiery steed by their knees and legs, and manag- 

 ing it with courage and address. Their seat has not the 

 graceful ease of the manege, but accords with the practice 

 found suitable for the 'Course. In the stable they acquire a 

 wonderful command over the hot and dangerous creatures 

 with which they are in contact, ordering them with authority, 

 roughly rubbing their irritable skins and dangerous heels, a 

 single stroke of which would terminate the joys and sorrows 

 of the tiny groom. While often a man and a stranger durst 

 no more enter the stall or loose box of one of these fiery 

 creatures than the den of a tiger, these boys are to be seen 

 as much at their ease as if they were playing with a cat ; so 

 strong is the power of reason, even in a child, over brute force 

 and the wildest passions of inferior natures. 



In a community of such lads, far away from the vigilance 

 of early friends, associated with evil minds, and witnesses of 

 gross pursuits, an extreme severity of discipline is called for. 

 Woe it is to him, our author tells us, who is absent at stable 

 hours ; but how many are the minor offences which lie be- 

 tween this extreme and the mere thoughtlessness of boyhood, 

 for which the harsh reproof, the ashen rod, the abrupt dis- 

 missal, are put in force ! The want of sleep may seal the 



