MISCELLANEA. 
355 
mined to try the effect of counter-irritants, and, on the 3d of No- 
vember, I inserted a seton, composed of hellebore-root, into the 
dewlap, and which soon produced very considerable local inflam- 
mation and swelling. 
On the 6th, the enlargement of the knees and the four fetlocks 
had considerably diminished. 
On the 10th, two new setons were placed, high up on the inside 
of the thighs, which soon caused a complete disappearance of the 
swellings of the knees and the fetlocks, leaving the hocks alone 
materially affected. A liniment, composed of two ounces of harts- 
horn and four of olive-oil was well applied to them morning and 
night, and twelve days afterwards the beast was dismissed. 
Journ. du Midi, Mai 1838. 
MISCELLANEA. 
Lady Hester Stanhope and her Arab Mares. 
The prophecies of the East have announced for many ages the 
coming of a promised Messiah, who is to make his entre into Je- 
rusalem on a mare, born ready saddled. — Alphonse de Lamartine, 
in his pilgrimage to the Holy Land, thus describes his interview 
with Lady Hester Stanhope, and her singular opinion respecting 
the promised Messiah. 
“ Since destiny,” said she, “ has sent you hither, and such an as- 
tonishing sympathy between our stars permits me to confide to you 
what I would conceal from the profane world, come, and you shall 
see with your own eyes a prodigy of nature, of which the destina- 
tion is only known to me and my adepts. The prophecies had 
announced it for many ages, and you shall yourself be the judge, 
whether these prophecies are accomplished.” She opened a gate 
of the garden which led to a small inner court, where I perceived 
two magnificent Arab mares, of the present race, and of a rare 
perfection of form. “ Approach,” said she to me, “ and examine this 
bay mare ; see if nature has not accomplished in her all that is 
written of the mare which is to carry the Messiah, and which is to 
be born ready saddled.” — I saw, in fact, on this fine animal one of 
those sports of nature sufficiently rare to serve as an incitement 
to vulgar credulity amongst a half barbarous people. The mare 
had, behind the shoulders, a cavity so large and deep, and imitating 
so completely a Turkish saddle, that we might say with truth she 
was foaled saddled, and, but for the want of stirrups, we might 
mount her as easily as if she carried an artificial saddle. This 
beautiful animal seemed accustomed to the admiration and respect 
which Lady Hester and the slaves evinced for it, and appears to 
feel the dignity of its future mission. No one has ever mounted 
it ; and two Arab grooms watch over and never lose sight of it 
for an instant. 
