2 The Parrier'j Ne^iv Guide. Chap. I. 



Now the Caufcs which bring on Difeafes, being in a 

 Manner infinite, fince moft Accidents to which Bodies 

 are cxpofed from other Bodies^ may be the Occafion of 

 fome Diftemper ; and Ukewife lince Difeafes may proceed 

 from the A6tion of the fame Body upon itfclf, in a Way 

 that is either voluntary or involuntary ; I fhall therefore 

 forbear all unneceflary and unprofitable Deviations, and 

 only take Notice of thofe Caufes which are molt apparent, 

 and the moft common. 



The Ancients being unacquainted with the true Struc- 

 ture and Oeconomy of Animal Bodies, afcrib'd a great 

 deal to thofe Qiialities which they believed to be in all 

 Bodies, proceeding from the four Elements, as alfo to the 

 Errors of Feeding, Exercife, and Reft, b^c. which they 

 called the Nonnaturah. And our Farriers, efpecially 

 Ji^arkham and De Grey^ in Imitation of them, have puz- 

 zled their Readers with a fort of Philofophy, which neither 

 themfelves underftood, nor will ever be of any Ufe to Po- 

 llerity. The one begins with Generation and Corruption, 

 the other with the Formation of animal Bodies out of the 

 four Elements, viz. Fire^ Air, Water^ and Earth j and 

 lubfequent to them to be made up of four Humotirs, viz. 

 jBlood^ Phlegm^ Cholera and Melancholy ; and accordingly, 

 their Bodies were of different Temperaments, hot and dry, 

 cold and moift, as this or that Humour was predominant. 

 Nay, Markham has refin'd fo far on thefe Notions, as to 

 judge by a Horfe's Colour and Complexion, which of all 

 the Elements had the Afcendant in him ; and confcqucnt- 

 Jy, whether he is of a cholerick, melancholy, or phlegma- 

 tick Difpofition. 



1 fliall very readily own, that fome of thofe Marks, 

 which that Author has taken Notice of, may oftentimes 

 denote the Faults and Jmperfedlions of Hcrfes ; but that 

 they are reducible to fuch 'Femperaments and Humours, 

 as he has afcribed to them, is a meer Dream, and doubt- 

 It'i't^ may have been the Death of fome Thoufands of 

 Horlcs in this Kingdom ; fince it is reafonable to fuppofe, 

 that moft of the Englijh Farriers, building upon him, 

 guefs at the inward Diftcmpers of Horfes, more from 

 their Colour and Complexion,, than from any other Signs 

 ■whatfoever. 



All thai can juftly be cbferved in Horfes, as to their 

 'Femperaments, is the two Extremes of too much Fire, 

 or too little, the reft inclining more or kfs to the one or | 



to 



