500 APPENDIX. I. 



Arabia produces these noble animals in the 

 highest perfection ; first, because they take their 

 origin from the wild unmixed breeds that for- 

 merly were found in the deserts,* which had as 

 little degenerated from their primeval form and 

 powers as the lion, tiger, or any other creature 

 which still remains in a state of nature un- 

 changed by the discipline of man, or harvested 

 provision. 



The Arabs place their chief delight in this 

 animal ; it is to themf as dear as their family, 



* Leo Africanus, who wrote in the time o£ Leo X. says, that 

 in his days great numbers of wild horses were found in the Nu- 

 ' , jnidian and Arahian deserts, which were broke for use. He 

 adds, that the trial of their swiftness was made against the Lant, 

 or the Ostrich ; and if they could overtake either of those ani- 

 mals, were valued at a hundred camels. Hisi. Africa, 33Q. 



f As a proof of this, receive the following lamentation of an 

 Arab, obliged, through poverty, to part with his mare : My eyes, 

 says he, to the animal, my soul, must I he so unfortunate as to 

 have sold thee to so many masters, and not to keep thee myself? 

 I am, poor, my Antelope. You know well enough, my honey ^ 

 I have brought thee up as my child; I never beat nor chid thee ; 

 / made as much of thee as ever I could for my life. God pre- 

 serve thee, my dearest; thou art pretty ; thou art lovely; God de- 

 fend thee from the looks of the envious. To understand the first 

 part of this speech, it must be observed, that it is usual for 

 many Arabs, of the poorer rank, to join in the purchase of a 

 horse, the original owner generally retaining one share. This, 

 as well as most of the other particulars relating to the Arabian 

 horse, are taken from M. D'Ar^ieux's cuiious account of Araf 

 lia, i>. 167, London, 1732. ,;.,. ;oi -jJ - Oiis;... 



