ON BREEDING. 
609 
grafting*. Thus, in both animals and plants, it is only by a judi¬ 
cious selection of individuals that any variety can be rendered 
permanent. 
In the selection of the male and female for breeding we must 
be guided in our choice, principally, by their possessing those 
specified forms that constitute “ beauty,” which, as we have 
already stated, implies some useful corporal quality. 
Many persons adapt their ideas of perfection agreeably to the 
peculiar properties of their own horse; each appears best pleased 
with his own, and says 
“ My horse * * * 
* * excels a common one 
In shape, in courage, color, pace, and bone.’ 7 
This diversity of opinion arises solely from the circumstance 
of there being so many excellent horses that possess forms and 
relations very different from what have been laid down as rules for 
observance in their exterior conformation. It is a piece of ab¬ 
surdity to prescribe dogmatical rules or codes for the purpose of 
regulating the operations of nature, when, even in the same breed, 
we observe innumerable varieties capable of the most extraordi¬ 
nary exertions, and which do not come within the prescribed rules. 
There are few rules that can be laid down for observance on the 
general conformation of horses better than those which were 
inculcated by Xenophon , Sophocles , and Virgil . They held 
those horses superior to all others which have a broad breast 
(“ animosum pectus”), a small head (“ caput argutum”'), short 
and pricking ears (“ micat auribus , o$ov ov ? ww), wide nostrils 
(“ ctva,7rt7rTcc[Atvoi ''),and a wide round back (“ obesaterga '), 
and who, like the to? IWo?” of the Mseonian, with playful 
alacrity provoke the rest to fight on the plain, unhesitatingly 
to leap the w ide ditch, or cross the deep marshes. 
The external forms of horses w ere w ell studied by the ancients; 
but we question whether they w ere aw are, that the external form 
w as only an indication of the internal structure. The principles 
of improvement must consequently depend on a know ledge of 
the organization and use of the internal parts. 
The lungs are of the first importance; it is on their size and 
soundness that the strength and health of an animal/ chiefly 
depend. The pow er of converting food into nourishment is in 
proportion to the size of the lung*s; as a horse possessing* large 
lungs is capable of changing a certain quantity of food into 
more nourishment than one with smaller lung*s. Narrow-chested 
horses are seldom pow erful or durable, though they may possess 
great speed for a short distance. “The external indications of 
VOL. III. 4 N 
