584 
VERTEBEATA. 
ATTILA. 
the trumpet. He saitli among tlie trumpets, Ha, lia ! and he smelleth the battle afar off, the 
thunder of the captains, and the shouting." 
In more modern times Buffon has given us a sketch hardly less poetic : "The noblest conquest 
which was ever made by man is that of this spirited and haughty animal, Avhich shares with him 
the fatigues of war and the glory of the combat. Equally intrepid with his master, the Horse sees 
the danger and braves it; inspired at the clash of arms, he loves it, he seeks it, and is animated 
by the same ardor. He feels pleasure also in the chase, in tournaments, in the course ; he is all 
fire, but, as tractable as courageous, he does not give way to bis impetuosity, and knows how 
to check his inclinations ; he not only submits to the arm which guides him, but even seems to 
consult the desires of his rider, and, always obedient to the impressions which he receives from 
him, presses on, moves gently, or stops, and only acts as his rider pleases. The Horse is a crea- 
ture Avhich renounces bis being to exist only by the will of another, which he knows how to anti- 
cipate, and even express, and execute by the promptitude and exactness of his movements ; he 
feels as much as we desire, does only what we wish, giving himself up without reserve, and refuses 
nothing, makes use of all his strength, exerts himself beyond it, and even dies the better to 
obey us." 
Nor is this mere poetry: Although the invention of gunpowder has invested the modern 
battle-field with all the attributes of that thunder which the ancients regarded as being possessed 
only by the chief of their gods, it has no effect upon the war-horse, after proper training, but to 
excite his courage and make him more brave and bold amid the augmented terrors. Roaring 
artiller)'', sheeted flame, curling smoke, gleaming steel, rolling drums, sounding trumpets, and 
all the sights and the din of the hottest conflict, never aff"ect either the courage or the cool- 
ness of the veteran charger. He will bear his rider up to the cannon's, or to, or even on, the 
point of the lance, with the same cheerful obedience as if he were riding to a field of the richest 
pasture, and though beaten back, and smarting with wounds, he will return again and again to 
the charge ; nor will he quit his duty until he has made the final sacrifice, and his bones are 
gathered to the unseemly heap in which horses and their riders lie promiscuously together. 
"But it is only while there is a rider on his back that the horse continues thus obedient to his 
duty ; for when the ranks are broken, and the riders gone, horses may be seen careering over the 
field, as if absolutely in quest of new riders to bring them again into action ; and it is said that, 
* See "British Cyclopedia of Natural History," article Horse. 
