204 avery's own farrier. 



come from a misapplication of the knowledge thus de- 

 rived. The same skill required to manage the horse in 

 the ring, would enable one to ride all over a patch of 

 corn or potatoes without even treading out a single hill; 

 and then again, amusement of some kind is as necessary 

 for the support of a healthy mind, as food is for the body. 

 To have proven the latter, you should have seen, as 

 thousands did with me, that old white war horse of Gen. 

 Taylor following the hearse that bore his late and 

 lamented friend to the tomb, with his head drooping 

 half way to the ground, as if in deep thought, or filled 

 with pity and love for the hero, and his late master. 



And then I have seen the young and spirited horse 

 stand over and watch his master who had fallen from 

 his back while drunk. I have seen the horse, also, 

 while carrying the inebriate on his back, actually dodge 

 one way and the other in order to balance his rider, so 

 as to prevent his falling off. Which of the two animals 

 manifested the roost reason here, do you think? 



Then the war horse has been seen lo dash on to the 

 charge at the sound of the bugle, with all the courage 

 of a veteran soldier. Away he would dash through 

 blood and carnage, wherever his master guided him; 

 and when, jjerchance, his rider fell, he would stop in the 

 midst of his heat and fury, and become pensive and 

 mournful, sympathizing with his wounded friend; or, 

 when dead, has been known to rush on with renewed 

 vigor into the enemy's ranks, stamping them to the 

 earth wherever Jie went, to avenge his master's death. 



The poet has given a fine description of the war 

 horse, in the following lines: 



