130 BIPEDS AND QUADHTJPEDS. 



not usually addicted to sucli puerile conduct, but 

 the generality of whom would experience a feel- 

 ing of contempt for the exhibitor of it. I have seen 

 it in the hunting field. To feel a certain pride 

 in being the possessor of a stud, be it small or 

 large, of fine horses, those fine performers, and in 

 fine condition, is natural and perfectly allowable ; it 

 shews a man has taste and judgment, at all events, 

 in one of the pursuits he engages in ; but this is 

 widely different from affectation, which I have seen 

 shewn in a manner unpleasing to others, and pro- 

 ducing very unnecessary distress to horses. There 

 can be no doubt but that very superior animals can 

 perform the same task with much greater ease to 

 themselves, and far more to their riders, than infe- 

 rior ones — that is, inferior in the qualifications wanted 

 for such task, be its nature what it may ; that of 

 the hunter is a difficult and arduous one, and he 

 certainly is entitled to all the assistance we can 

 afford him in his performance of it. All hunting 

 men have seen the extraordinary way in which 

 many horses, of quite a second-class character, will 



