0> T BREEDING. 
pose, that they were introduced into the island when it was 
tirst peopled, though at what period that happened history does 
not inform us : the most reasonable hypothesis is, that the island 
was first peopled from the neighbouring shores ol Gaul. 
The only solid information that can be obtained concerning the 
first periods of our national story rests chiefly on the authorities 
Julius Caesar, Tacitus, and some Greek authors, from whose par¬ 
tial histories w r e are taught, that the horses, as well as the 
population, though far from being numerous, yet were capable of 
striking terror into Caesar’s legions. It would appear, therefore, 
as if they possessed a much superior kind of breed than what are 
generally considered as indigenous; u as tlieM/elch and L ovnish * 
pony, the hobbies of Ireland, and the shelties of Scotland,” are 
all too diminutive to have drawn the war-chariots of the ancient 
Britons, which were found, even by the firmest phalanx ol the 
Roman veterans, to be vehicles of tremendous operation. Those 
chariots were armed with sharp blades or scythes, and hooks, 
and were each impelled, by tw r o spirited horses, luriously amongthe 
ranks of the enemy, destroying or maiming all who unsuccess¬ 
fully endeavoured to intercept their progress. Each of the cha¬ 
riots contained the charioteer and one or more warriors, who 
rushed into the midst of their enemies, spreading slaughter and 
death every way around. 
That horses were considered the most valuable propeitv they 
possessed is very evident from the coins that have been disco¬ 
vered belonging to the ancient Britons having represented on the 
face the head of a king or chief, and on the obverse the figure of 
a horse. # 
Agriculture was first introduced to Britain by the Belgae, but 
the soil w r as not generally cultivated by the rude natives until 
the country was colonized by the Romans ; and, during their stay 
the horses must have been considerably improved, particulaily in 
size, by the introduction of the Roman breed, as the Britons are 
described as having speedily adopted the refined notions of their 
conquerors. On the secession of the Romans from the island, the 
Anglo-Saxons appear on the busy stage, whose sound judgment 
• There are still some traces left of wliat arc usually considered as the 
indigenous breed, in the county of Cornwall, on Goonhilly in Mcncage: 
they are a strong hardy race, between eleven and thirteen hands high, gene¬ 
rally thick heads and short necks; but they are remarkably sure-looted and 
strong-limbed. Formerly they must have been still smaller; forCarcw, in 
his “ History of Cornwall,” written in the early part ot the reign of James the 
First says— “The Cornish horses are hardly bred, coarsely led, and so low 
in stature that they were liable to be seized on as unstatutable, according to 
the statute of Henry VIII, bv any one who caught them depasturizing the 
common.” 
