638 APPENDIX. 



Arabia produces thefe noble animals in the 

 higheft perfection •, firft, becaufe they take their 

 origin from the wild unmixed breeds that formerly 

 were found in the deferts *, which had as little 

 degenerated from their primaeval form and powers 

 as the lion, tiger, or any other creature which flill 

 remains in a ftate of nature unchanged by the difci- 

 pline of man, or harvefted provifion. 



The Arabs place their chief delight in this ani- 

 mal ^ it is to them f as dear as their family, and 

 is indeed part of it : men, women, children, mares, 

 and foals all lie in one common tent, and they 

 lodge promifcuoufly without fear of injury. 



This 



* Leo Africanus, who wrote in the time of Leo X. fays, 

 that in his days great numbers of wild horfes were found in 

 the Numidian and Arabian Deferts, which were broke for ufe. 

 He adds, that the trial of their fwiftnefs was made againfr. 

 the Lant, or the Oftrich; and if they could overtake either of 

 thofe animals, were valued at a hundred camels. Hiji. Africa, 



339- 



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

 Arab> obliged, thro' poverty, to part with his mare : My eyes, 

 fays he, to the animal, my foul, muft I be fo unfortunate as 

 to have fold tkee to fo many majlers, and not to keep thee myfelf? 

 I am poor, my Antelope. Ton 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- 

 ferve thee my dear eft ; thou art pretty ; thou art lovely ; God de- 

 fend thee from the looks of the envious. To underitand the firft 

 part of this fpeech, it muft be obferved, that it is ufual for 



many 



