ClafsL H O R S E, 7 



■nenc danger from the Spanifh invafion, all the cavalry 

 which the nation could then furnifh amounted only to 

 3000 : to account for this difference we mull ima- 

 gine, that the number of horfes which took the fic-lJ 

 in Stephmh reign was no more than an undifciplined 

 rabble : The few that appeared under the banners 

 oi Elizabeth, a corps well formed, and fuch as might 

 be oppofed to fo formidable an enemy as was then 

 •cxpeded ; but fuch is their prefent increafe, that in 

 the late war, the number employed was i^^^sJS'-* 

 and fuch is our improvement in the breed of horfes, 

 that moft of thofe which are ufed in our wa^sons 

 and carriages * of different kinds, might be applied 

 to the fame purpofe : of thofe, our capital alone 

 employs near 22,000. 



The learned M. de Buffon has almoft exhaufled 

 the fubjedl of the natural hiftory of the horfe, and 

 the other domefl:i<: animals ; and left very little for 

 after writers to add. We may obferve, that this 

 moft noble and ufeful quadruped is endowed with 

 every quality that can make it fubfervient to the 

 ufes of mankind ; and thofe qualities appear in a more 

 exalted, or in a lefs degree, in proportion to our va- 

 rious necefiities. 



Undaunted courage, added to a docility half-rea- 

 foning, is given to fome, which fits them for military 

 fervices. The fpirit and emulation fo apparent in 

 others, furnifh us with that fpecies, which is admi- 

 rably adapted for the courfe ; or, the more nobl^ 

 and generous pleafure of the chace. 



* It may alfo be obferved, that the ufe of coaches was not in- 

 'taxxiuced into England till the year 1564. 



B 4. Patience 



