242 The Coitrse, the Camp, the Chase 



rule, is not so adapted as he was for improving the 

 stamp of our hunters, why are the services of the Arabian 

 not more sought for procuring those qualities than the 

 thoroughbred of the present day is alleged to be 

 deficient in ? There is no difficulty, at present, in pur- 

 chasing Arabian stallions of the very highest class, since 

 Mr. Wilfrid Blunt annually holds a sale at Crabbet Park, 

 Sussex, of his surplus stock, which have either been pro- 

 cured direct from Arabia at vast trouble and expense, or 

 have been bred with the greatest care from animals 

 imported by him. 



There is a curious old book, written by one in the last 

 century, who must have been a consummate judge, from 

 which much information may be gleaned, and I think the 

 following extracts are well worthy of perusal. The work 

 is entitled A Dissertation on Horses, by William Osmer, 

 and was printed in 1756. It is very a apropos of the 

 present time : — 



" I do here lay it down as a certain truth, that no 

 horses but such as come from foreign countries, or which 

 are of extraction totally foreign, can race. In this opinion 

 every man will readily join me, and this opinion will be 

 confirmed by every man's experience and observation. . . . 

 Such horses who have the finest texture, elegance of shape, 

 and most proportion, are the best racers, let their blood be 

 of what kind it will, always supposing it to be totally 

 foreign. 



" If I was asked what beauty was, I should say pro- 

 portion ; if I was asked what strength was, I should say 

 proportion also ; but I would not be understood to mean 

 that this strength and beauty alone will constitute a racer, 

 for we shall find a proper length also will be wanted for 



