15 



which I say, it is impossible for any gi'oiind to displace. 

 To provide against his cutting, I caused the inner limb of 

 the shoe to be made somewhat narrower, than the outer, 

 with the edge receding as it approached the ground, so as 

 to prevent its striking the opposite leg ; and I also omitted 

 the seating on the foot surface of this limb, merely substi- 

 tuting in its stead the removal of the upper edge towards 

 the sole with a file ; and the moment I saw this shoe 

 attached to the foot, I was convinced, that it mio-ht bid 

 defiance to any thing, short of the smith's pincers, to re- 

 move it ; for there could be no fear for the side with four 

 nails in. it ; and as to the other there was notliing what- 

 ever to lay hold of; one edge sloped from the foot to the 

 ground, and tlie other was perpendicular to it. It turned 

 out, just as I had predicted : the shoes were not only re- 

 tained without shifting, but, when they came to be removed 

 at the end of a fortnight, not a clench had started. So 

 certain am I of the security of this kind of shoe, that when- 

 ever I see the shoe fitted myself, and nailed to sound 

 horn, I meet all doubts by saying, "if even a clench rises 

 at the end of a fortnight, I am willing to allow, that I 

 have failed." 



The next case, I have to record, is a very strong one : 

 a friend requested me to superintend the shoeing of a large, 

 heavy, useful mare. I begged liim to try five nails ; he 

 said, he would do so another time, but he wanted the 

 mare to assist in ploughing a stiff" piece of ground on the 

 morrow, and he was afraid to trust to five nails. I succeeded 

 however in persuading him to submit notwithstanding his 



