MORAL BEARING. 43 



floating life among strangers, almost continually subj^t to 

 those perverting influences which are its natural concomi 

 tants. And yet I am made only the more mindful by ex- 

 perience that I am wholly indebted to those necessities of 

 my condition, which seemed to call continually for the 

 exercise of my greatest energies, not so much to attain suc- 

 ces as to prevent and overcome the trials and failures to 

 which I was almost constantly liable. This is the lesson 

 which true success in any channel must teach, and in no 

 direction is it taught more forcibly than in the proper exer- 

 cise of this great and important duty. 



Human nature is so constituted that it calls for great 

 trials to develope its great and profound resources. Every 

 difficulty, rightly considered, only stirs into still greater 

 action its latent powers. Every act of dissimulation and 

 dishonesty discovered leads to a closer perception of the 

 actions and intentions animating others under like circum- 

 stances, but they are rightly considered only the elements 

 necessary to brighten and strengthen the mind to steadier, 

 stronger, more uniform and successful action. As the 

 steady wielding of the hammer by the blacksmith developes 

 more size and strength in his arm, and proportionately more 

 strength and powers of endurance. 



MORAL BEARING. 



In its true significance, this duty is really one of the most 

 interesting and instructive we are called upon to perform, 

 constantly revealing to the mind the true latitude of its 

 powers and responsibility. In studying the instincts and 

 habits of the horse, we are reminded of many of the laws, 

 aptitudes and peculiarities of our own nature; for, while 

 we are trying to control and regulate the actions of the 

 horse, we are bringing into play certain principles of order, 

 command and control in our own minds. 



The more we observe this the more true and important it 

 will be made to appear to us. We soon find that we first 

 need to control ourselves to be able to control the horse, 

 and we see, too, that the more perfect and reasonable the 

 control which we are capable of exercising over ourselves 

 is, the more perfect and reasonable the control we are capa- 

 ble of exercising over the horse. Hence we see that the 



