The War Horse, as described by Virgil. THE fiery courser, when he hears from far On his right shoulder his thick mane reclin'd, The High-mettled Racer, written by Mr. Dibdin. SEE the course throng'd with gazers, the sports are begun, The confusion, but hear: I bet you, Sir! done! done! Ten thousand strange murmurs resound far and near, Lords, hawkers, and jockies, assail the tir'd ear, While with neck like a rainbow, erecting his crest, Pamper'd, prancing, and pleas'd, his head touching his breast; E Scarcely snuffing the air, he's so proud and elate, The high-mettled racer first starts for the plate. Grown aged, us'd up, and turn'd out of the stud; Lame, spavin'd, and wind-gall'd, but yet with some blood: While knowing postillions his pedigree trace, Tell his dam won this sweepstake, his sire gain'd that race: And what matches he'd won to the hostlers count o'er, As they loiter their time at some hedge alehouse door, While the harness sore galls, and the spurs his sides goad, The high-mettled racer's a hack on the road. Till at last, having labour'd, drudg'd early and late, Bow'd down by degrees, he bends on to his fate; Blind, old, lean, and feeble, he tugs round a mill, Or draws sand till the sand of his hour-glass stands still. And now cold and lifeless, expos'd to the view, In the very same cart which he yesterday drew; While a pitying crowd his sad relics surrounds, The high-mettled racer is sold for the hounds. Remarkable Sagacity in a Horse. THE following singular circumstance is related in the Universal Theological Magazine for April, 1802. About twenty years ago, I was well acquainted (says the writer) with a team of horses belonging to the Earl of Macclesfield, in Oxfordshire; one of them was naturally vicious and illtempered, and one quite the reverse. Next to the latter was placed, in the stable, another, which had the misfortune to be blind. In the summer season they used to be turned out to grass with some other horses, and this very good-tempered creature constantly took his blind friend under his protection. If, at a turning loose, the blind horse happened to take a wrong direction, and get at a distance from his companion, he would discover the greatest distress, by neighing and running about the field, where his friendly guide used to place himself in such a position that he might run against him, when, after smelling to him, he would begin to feed with the greatest confidence and composure. But what appears still more extraordinary, this horse was naturally of so peaceable a disposition, that he had incurred the character of being a coward when only himself was concerned; but if any of them made an attack upon his blind friend, he would fly with such fury, that not a horse in the field could stand against him! Whenever it happened that the horses broke the fence, and went astray, this faithful creature never once left his unfortunate companion, though he has sometimes conducted him through the gap into the adjoining field; nor did he ever sustain any injury from several deep pits to which he was exposed. This singular instance of sagacity, I had almost said humanity, in a horse, has often struck me with astonishment; and, thought I, "Might not this put many to the blush, to whom the Almighty has given more knowledge than to the beasts that perish!" A strongly contested Match. A MATCH for fifty guineas was run at Northampton, one two-mile heat, between Captain Wallace's bay horse Southton, rode by Mr. Douglas, and Mr. Gage Rookwood's Banquo, rode by the owner; which was decided a dead heat; and, when again run, was well contested, and won by Captain Wallace. |