OF ENGLISH HOUSES 
231 
tion of food, and their powers of rallying after such trials, so 
as in a short time, upon an improved diet, to become fit for the 
butcher; whereas, in the case of the improved dairy breed, 
every one knows how difficult it is to restore them when once 
they have been suffered materially to lose their condition. 
Keeping his principle of stamina or “nature” in view, our 
author next combats, and not altogether unsuccessfully, the 
doctrines on breeding first promulgated by the celebrated Mr. 
Cline, and subsequently adopted by many engaged in the breed- 
ing and rearing of cattle. Mr. Cline contended strongly for 
size in the female, compared to the male ; arguing, that this 
capaciousness not only afforded more room for growth to the 
foetus, but that more nourishment also would thereby be supplied 
for it. Against this our author advances, that, in the natural 
state of things, males are in general larger than their corre- 
spondent females ; ergo, Mr. Cline’s theory is one contra natu - 
ram. Not only, however, is it incongruous with what we see 
passing in nature, but it also is dissonant from practice. The 
Hereford cow is a small, delicate, and, comparatively, inferior 
animal, and yet her produce, the Herefordshire ox, “stands 
without a rival.” 
From cattle we pass to the race-horse ; and, first, our author’s 
object is to shew “ the great tasks performed by the race-horses 
of the last century, their useful symmetry, and the long time 
they remained on the turf: the small tasks performed by mo- 
dern race-horses, their bad symmetry, and the short time they 
remain on the turf.” 
The annals of racing date no farther back than the beginning 
of the last century. At that time, the common racing distances 
were four and six miles, carrying from eight to twelve stone; 
and at such distances, and with such weights, great feats were 
performed by the horses of those days. Six miles, however, 
had ceased to be reckoned a racing distance before the conclu- 
sion of the last century ; and even four miles, except for Kings’ 
plates. And, now-a-days, two miles is reckoned a long distance; 
the more usual ones being under that — single miles, nay, even 
half miles. The natural consequence of this shortening of dis- 
tances — this less trial of strength than speed — has been, a change 
in the conformation and stamina of the animal produced for the 
race. In all departments and employments of life, men generally, 
in the long run, discover the nearest and surest road to profit, and 
they have done no more than this in racing ; but in doing so, 
though they have benefitted themselves, they appear to have 
deteriorated the breeds of their horses. They have gained their 
object — speed for a short distance ; but they have effected this 
at the sacrifice of more generally useful qualifications — strength 
and durability — stamina . What, perhaps, has contributed more 
