LECTURES ON HORSES. 
3 
gard the species, a great deal concerning texture or quality of coat 
depends upon climate, soil, domestication, &c. 
The outward form of the animal is regulated by the construction 
of the interior of its body ; and since we take this in all cases to be 
that which is best suited to answer the ends of its creation, it fol- 
lows that no other form or shape for that peculiar to the animal 
could have been substituted. The form of the fish is that best 
adapted for suspension and swimming in water ; that of the bird 
for suspension and flying in air ; that of the quadruped for fleetness, 
or for travelling under heavy burthens upon land ; that of man in 
his capacity as 
“ Lord of the creation.” 
But form admits of division into size or magnitude , and shape or 
symmetry ; and as we have seen that the shape of every animal 
is that which proves most conducive to its design, so we shall find 
on investigation that the size of the animal, so far from being an 
affair of chance or accident, has likewise been considered. The 
animal creation presents examples of every conceivable variety 
and degree of magnitude — from the mite, discernible only through 
the microscope, to the stupendous elephant and astounding whale. 
Shall we call this a freak of Nature ? rather, shall we not discover 
in it design ? yea ! and design most ingeniously worked out to 
answer the various ends for which the different creatures were cre- 
ated. Was not the elephant made of gigantic size in order that 
he might possess surpassing strength, to enable him to travel under 
enormous burthens ? On the other hand, was not the mouse formed 
diminutive to render it light and agile, and apt to run into holes, 
and chinks, and corners, to elude its pursuers ? 
This brings us to the consideration of a law of Nature regarding 
magnitude, — that great bodies move comparatively slowly or with 
difficulty— a law which, though not strictly measurable by an arith- 
metical scale, is nevertheless one that, in the animal kingdom, 
will be found pretty generally to apply. Compare the tardy and 
tedious march of the elephant with the nimble-footedness of the 
mouse ; the sluggish walk of the cart-horse with the amble of the 
pony ; the heavy step of the grenadier with the light active trip 
of the little man of business ; and in every instance there will ap- 
pear some exemplification of this law. Is not this enough to shew 
that the height and bulk of animals has not been a mere affair of 
chance or accident, but a principle of design for wise and benevolent 
purposes ? Is not the large cart or dray-horse as useful a creature 
in his way as the racer or the hunter, the cob or the pony ? Could 
any one of these completely supply the place of the other ? Could 
the racer drag the brewer’s dray ? — the dray-horse run the racer’s 
course? — the pony carry the cob’s twenty-stone weight? It is, 
