ORDER PACIIYDERMATA. 463 



These animals have generally a robust constitution, are 

 subject to few maladies, and their temperance is extreme. 

 These qualities proceed from the utter absence of all 

 delicacy in its education. No domestic animal is more ne- 

 glected or exposed to such ill-treatment. The nutriment 

 rejected by other animals, is considered as too good for it, 

 and it is overwhelmed with hardships and chastisement. 

 It renders us indeed no other kind of service than the Horse, 

 and can only do that in proportion to its strength, which is 

 not great. It is doubtless the facility with which it is nou- 

 rished, and the strength of its temperament, which induces 

 us to preserve it at all. Accordingly we generally find it 

 the companion of the poor, of whose misery and fatigue 

 it is the constant sharer. The Orientals, however, much 

 esteem this despised animal, and treat it with attention. 

 It is employed by them in all the services of the Horse and 

 is most generally in use for the saddle. To a certain class 

 of men, it is the only animal allowed for riding, and espe- 

 cially to Europeans. 



The Ass is very susceptible of education ; it has all the 

 requisite qualities, delicate senses, and an excellent me- 

 mory ; it remembers all the roads it has travelled, and its 

 timidity prevents it from taking others willingly. It fears 

 water, to which, however, it may gradually become accus- 

 tomed. If its eyes are covered, it refuses to proceed, and 

 if overloaded, it will accelerate its pace, and go on until it 

 falls. 



But for the Horse, it would certainly have been the first 

 of our domestic animals; our attention would have de- 

 veloped in it new qualities, and improved the old. The 

 Wild Horse and Wild Ass are very nearly of the same size ; 

 (heir strength is equal, and their disposition not much 

 different. It may be even said that the Ass has more solid 

 good qualities than the Horse. But the intelligence of the 

 latter is greater, and has gained the superiority which it 



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