CATTLE. 45 



considerably more than in France ; and the number of 

 these animals employed in agriculture has not been 

 increased in proportion. The reason of this is, that their 

 teams, more choice and better kept than ours, are more 

 vigorous and active. 



o 



The brewers' horses, and those used in coal waggons 

 and for other heavy draughts, are celebrated for their 

 strength and bulk. The best fetch very high prices. It is 

 the same with the carriage horses : the breed of Cleve- 

 land bays from Yorkshire is reckoned one of the most 

 perfect which exists for carriage work. 



As for the race-horse, and his rival the hunter, every- 

 body knows by what a combination of efforts the English 

 have succeeded in producing and keeping up these supe- 

 rior breeds. They are productions of human industry, 

 real works of art, obtained at great expense, and designed 

 to gratify a national passion. It may be said, without 

 exaggeration, that all the wealth of Britain seems to have 

 no other object than the keeping up of studs from whence 

 these privileged creatures emanate. A fine horse consti- 

 tutes with everybody the ideal of fashionable life ; it is the 

 first dream of the young girl, as it is the latest pleasure 

 of the aged man of business : everything which relates to 

 the training of saddle-horses, to racing, hunting, and all 

 exercises which display the qualities of these brilliant 

 favourites, is the great business of the whole country. 

 The common people, as well as the wealthier classes, take 

 great interest in these matters, and the day on which the 

 Derby is run at Epsom is a general holiday. Parliament 

 does not meet, no business is transacted, the eyes of all 

 England are directed to that course where a few young 

 stallions run, and where millions are gained or lost in a 

 few minutes. 



We are still far from this national infatuation, and 



