air veffels-or in the blood veffels-or in tubercles or in ulcers-or in too full feeding, &c.-Bartlet quotes from Gibson, who refers you to Markham, or Soleyfell; and Bracken to Burdon, and fo on ad infinitum. We are likewife told the three laft diftempers are generally incurable: You are then inftructed to proceed with mercurial phyfic, giving, in the intermediate days, the cinnabar balls; if they fail, try alterative purges; to these follow cordial balls, with balfams of Peru and fulphur, fquills, tar, &c. one to be continued a week or ten days; another a fortnight; and a third for two months, or longer,' &c. &c.—“ I fhall avoid this beaten track of duplicity, and not amufe my readers in every page, with Gibfon directs this, or Bartlet the other; but communicate fome inftructions from the dictates of NATURE and REASON, who have been hitherto most infamously treated, and most shamefully abandoned, through every fyftem of equeftrian medical practice." After this oftentatious prclude, thefe profefforial ftrictures, and pompous pretenfions, does not the reader expect fomething new from the pen of Mr. Taplin, either as to the caufe of the disease, the fymptoms, method of treatment, or intentions of cure? Does not he look for fome choice and valuable fpecific, recommended on the ftrength of the profeffor's twenty years experience? At

leaft

least he will find the practice of those authors fo vituperatively cited, fairly and fpecifically brought forward, and proved to be erroneous, old fashioned, and obfolete—faith, no fuch thing-never was a more confiftent writer than the author of the Stable Directory-and his uniformity of character and practice, is preferved to a tittle, in the chapter on colds. The theory of obftructed perspiration is taken from Bracken; the immediate causes of colds, with remarks and cautions, from that author, and Gibson, as it chanced to fuit the obvious purpose of the felector. As to the cure-he begins with anifeed, liquorice-powder, and honey, to be administered in a mash; the very fame things which Gibson first orders; with this difference, that Gibson has joined with them fome more powerful auxiliaries, and ordered the whole in a liquid form; which, I conceive, in this particular cafe to be preferable. His next recourse is to detergent and pectoral balls, infignificantly varied from Bracken and Bartlet, although I cannot help agreeing with him, in his rejection of the brimftone from the old cordial ball; which, confidering the nature of the other ingredients, I conceive, renders the whole, in the true farrier's phrase, “a kind of a heater, and a kind of a cooler." Nitre comes next, the favourite specific of Bartlet; nor are the mercurial phyfic, or the tar, turpentines, balfams,

balfams, &c. which he affects to ridicule in the beginning of his chapter, as the prescription of other men, forgot in the latter end, to be recommended as a part of his own intire new practice.

one,

With what confequence, at the same time, with what fterling humour, Mr. Taplin defcants on the weighty fubjects of drinks, glyfters, and glyfter-pipes. Unfortunately, all the thoughts, as usual, are second hand, and may be found in the authors who preceded him, not forgetting that useful very of the juft preference of a pipe and bag, before a syringe! Who would befides expect to find in Mr. Taplin's book, as many glyfters and drinks ordered, as in that of any other author, after he has, in fo confequential a style, affumed to himself the merit of abolishing fuch flovenly methods.

I have already far exceeded my proposed limits, in the examination of the Stable Directory, which my refpect for the public alone, who have purchased a confiderable number of that extraordinary work, could have induced me to extend beyond the space of half a dozen lines. If my intelligent reader fhould chufe for his amusement to proceed, he will find the fame pompous and illiterate impertinence, the fame inconfiftence, blunder and contradiction; the accustomed plagiarifm and unfair quota

tion, to the end of the piece. I fay my intelligent reader; for there are others of a different description, who will enjoy their broad grin, with this delightfome author. Far from envying, I felicitate them upon fuch an acquifition; his nonfenfe will exactly fuit their own, as great wits jump. In the purchase of a Book, as well as of any other commodity, a man furely ought to have money's-worth for his money, and himself alone ought to be the proper judge of what is fo.

I have stated, and most truly, that my mind. is perfectly free of the fmalleft tincture of prejudice against Mr. Taplin. What I have faid, was extorted from me by the mere sense of justice, and an unhappy constitutional attachment to truth. Something may be urged, perhaps, by way of apology for him. At the time he first published his work, every fufficient judge must be convinced, that he had not reaped the benefit of much experience in his subject, either as an equestrian or veterinarian. Seven or eight years practice, which he has fince had, must have amended that defect. He have obtained fome ballaft, to steady may the flowing fail of his quick conceptions. He has, I am informed, favoured the public with the refult of his late practice, in a new treatise, intituled, a Compendium of Farriery. When an opportunity of perusal shall offer,

I flatter

I flatter myself I fhall thence be able to obtain fome new and important information; and it will afford me infinite pleasure, to find an occafion of beftowing my fhare of applaufe upon the meritorious labours of Mr. Taplin.

THE

CHAP. II.

ON THE HORSE IN GENERAL.

HE Horfe, to the eye of fcience, is the moft beautiful of all four-footed animals; fuperior to all in fymmetry of body, in speed, and in general utility to mankind. He poffeffes in common with the human race, the reafoning faculty, the difference confifting only in degree, or quantity. Human pride, prejudice, and cruelty alone, have questioned this truth; thofe paffions fufpended, it becomes inftantly obvious to common fenfe. The body then of the Horfe, as well as that of every living creature, is vivified and informed by a foul, or portion of intellectual element superadded. This portion differs in degree, in different animals, according to the wife dif penfation of nature. I hope I may be allowed to make use of the term foul, without any offence, either to the materialist or the atheist;

and