CHAP. II.] SYMPTOMS — HOW LEARNT. 83 



good and demonstrable end should be answered 

 by its creation. In addition to all which, there 

 are many causes incessantly operating towards the 

 simply-grand purpose of prolonging life, and of 

 providing for the waste which is constantly going 

 on in the animal system, that are far removed from 

 our sight, and others almost surpassing our com- 

 prehension, but which are nevertheless known to 

 exist by their effects ; but, of all these several mat- 

 ters, more in their proper places ; one instance of 

 the insufficiency of human knowledge having been 

 already adduced in the preceding section, as re- 

 gards the unknown mode in which the watery 

 secretions penetrate to one part of the body from 

 another, or rather say — drawn thither. 



24. All these important points of knowledge in 

 the first principles of our art lie within the com- 

 pass of every man's capacity, who can read ; they 

 are certainly open to his inquiries; and he who is 

 constantly among horses cannot fail to learn (after 

 studying the subject in the manner we now propose) 

 to make himself as well acquainted with the symp- 

 toms or signs of approaching diseases as the gene- 

 rality of veterinarians. He certainly may render 

 himself much superior to the old, ignorant set of 

 farriers, who were bred up in the days of stupidity 

 that are just gone by — never to return. Let such 

 an inquirer after knowledge bring to the task in- 

 dustry, patience, and good common-sense, and he 

 may soon acquire knowledge enough of the outlines 

 of the art tc be able to pronounce when a pretender 



e 6 



