594 
THE HISTORY OF THE HORSE. 
The subsequent intercourse with Hungary in the wars of the 
succession with Naples, and collaterally with Spain, may have 
first introduced the passion for Spanish stock, so predominant a 
penchant of the ancient regime of Hungary as almost to be regarded 
as an emblem of their caste. The wars with Turkey may again 
have crossed the national breed. Matthias Corvinus, the scourge 
of the Moslem, was a reader of Vegetius. 
The attention of the nobles, as well as of the government, has 
recently been much turned to the breeding of horses, both in Hun¬ 
gary and Transylvania. In the latter small territory alone are 
enumerated as many as sixty studs. A horse fair has recently 
been established at Klausenberg, at which cattle also are offered 
for sale. 
The politics of a Hungarian nobleman are as easily marked by 
his turn out as a belle of queen Anne’s reign by her patches. The 
Spanish breed still maintains its ascendency among all who uphold 
things as they were. They recruit their stud from the old Spanish 
stock of Count Banffy, at Bomzida, and maintain the dignity of 
their aristocratic origin. The reformer, on the contrary, recruits 
his stock from the stud of Baron Wesselengi, at Tsibo, and en¬ 
deavours to deduce the value of his principles of reform from the 
superiority of his horses. A liberal party returning from a county 
meeting hailed the young count as one of themselves by observing 
in the twilight the outline of his horse’s dock. 
Baron Wesselengi endeavoured to improve the national breed 
by a judicious admixture of English stock. He began with our en¬ 
tire English horse, named Cato, and found the cross with a 
Szekler mare produced an excellent hackney. His ordinary stock 
is about two hundred. He demands from £40 for half-bred 
Szeklers to £250 for thorough-bred entire horses. 
There are more than twenty studs in Transylvania, with more 
or less mixture of English blood. English grooms are also much 
in request. In this country the expence of keeping a horse in 
condition averages £10 per annum. There are immense droves, 
amounting to many thousands, belonging to single proprietors, at¬ 
tended only by what are termed horse-shepherds on the Putzta or 
level plain of Hungary. 
Horse races have been established at Pest, at which many a 
turn-out would not disgrace the four-in-hand club. Lord Derby’s 
well-known hounds were purchased by Count Caroly, and many 
valuable horses have lately been exported. 
I have dwelt thus fully upon Hungary, in consequence of the 
unparalleled magnificence of its government studs. 
The French government are paying much attention to the im¬ 
provement of their breed of horses. Royal establishments are 
