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review of clark’s essay 
brazen towers, brazen lungs, brazen face, &c., that nothing could 
have been more perfectly natural than Homer’s application of it, 
where the strength and durability of the hoof was intended to 
perfect the character of the horse. 
The strength of the natural hoof to a people unacquainted 
with shoeing, it is reasonable to believe, would, not only with 
their poets, be a leading subject of exultation; but jt is likely 
also this valuable property, with their generals, would be a mat¬ 
ter of some solicitude, since the safety of the soldier would much 
depend upon it. Accordingly, we find in the writings of Xe¬ 
nophon, sufficient evidence thereof,—a warrior who was intimately 
acquainted with the horse and the management of him,—who was 
chief conductor of the cavalry movements of the ten thousand 
Greeks in their famous retreat from Persia, &c. His solici¬ 
tude respecting the feet of horses is remarkable; and his direc¬ 
tions in this respect to preserve them hard and fit for service, 
as a matter of great curiosity, we subjoin. 
“ ‘ In like manner, as food and exercise are sedulously to be ad¬ 
ministered to the horse, that his body should be strengthened, so 
the feet also require a careful attention: since these, from the 
wetness or smoothness of the stable will be injured, even such 
as are the most perfectly formed. In order to prevent the mois¬ 
ture from lodging, the floors should have a descent; and, that they 
should not be too smooth, stones should be imbedded in one 
another, corresponding in size to the hoofs; for in such stables 
those horses that stand therein will have their feet strengthened. 
Next also, he that has the care of the hcrse should remember to 
lead him forth when he is to rub him down, as it is best to re¬ 
move him from the crib after the mid-day feed, that he may have 
a better relish for the evening feed. 
u 6 In order to render the yard or place outside the stable the best 
possible, and that it might tend to spread or dilate the feet, a 
sufficient number, as four or five waggon-loads of round stones, 
cut or docked round to the proper size, should be thrown down 
at random, and surrounded with a rim or border of iron that they 
may not be scattered ; for by setting his feet on these, the same 
purpose is answered as though he had exercise during a certain 
portion of every day on a paved way. It is proper, when they 
be rubbed down and curried, that he should use his hoofs as 
when he is walking, and the frogs also of the feet will be 
strengthened by the stones strewed about.’ ” 
From these ancient authorities, Mr. Clark proceeds to adduce 
extracts from the Holy Scriptures, demonstrative of the same 
facts :—“ Then were their horses’ hoofs broken by the means of 
the prancings of their mighty ones,” Judges v, 22. “ With his 
