"TH

HE method of treating hogs at this feason of migration, and of reducing a large herd of thefe unmanageable brutes to perfect obedience, and to good government, is curious.

The first step the fwine herd takes, is to inveftigate fome clofe fheltered part of the foreft, where there is a conveniency of water: and plenty of oak, or beech-maft, the former of which he prefers, when he can have it in fufficient abundance. He fixes next on some fpreading tree, round the bole of which he wattles a flight, circular fence of the dimenfions he wants; and covering it roughly with boughs, and fods, he fills it plentifully with ftraw, or fern.

"Having made this preparation, he collects his colony among the farmers, with whom he commonly agrees for a filling a head, and will get together perhaps a herd of five or fix hundred hogs. Having driven them to their deftined habitation, he gives them a plentiful fupper of acorns, or beech-maft, which he had already provided, founding his horn, during the repaft. He then turns them into the litter, where, after a long journey, and a hearty meal, they fleep deliciously.

"The next morning he lets them look a little around them fhews them the pool, or ftream, where they may occafionally drink -leaves them to pick up the offals of the last night's meal; and as the evening draws on, gives them another plentiful-repaft under the neighbouring trees, which rains acorns upon them for hours together, at

the found of his horn. He then fends them again to fleep.

"The following day he is perhaps at the pains of procuring them another meal, with mufic playing as ufual. He then leaves them a little more to themselves, having an eye however on their evening-hours. But as their bellies are full, they feldom wander far from home, retiring commonly very orderly, and early to bed.

"After this, he throws his fty open, and leaves them to cater for themfelves; and from hence-forward has little more trouble with them, during the whole time of their migration. Now and then, in calm weather, when maft falls fparingly, he calls them perhaps together by the mufic of his horn to a gratuitous meal; but in general, they need little attention, returning regularly home at night, though they often wander in the day two or three miles from their fty. There are experienced leaders in all herds, which have spent this roving life before; and can inftruct their junior in the method of it. By this management the herd is carried home to their respective owners in fuch condition, that a little dry meat will foon fatten them.

"I would not however have it fuppofed, that all the swine-herds in the foreft manage their colonies with this exactness. Bad governments, and bad governors will every where exift; but I mention this as an example of found policy-not as a mere Platonic, or Eutopian fcheme; but fuch as hath been often realized, and hath as often been found produc

tive of good order, and public utility. The hog is commonly fuppofed to be an obftinate, head-ftrong, unmanageable brute and he may perhaps have a degree of pofitiveness in his temper. In general, however, if he be properly managed, he is an orderly, docile animal. The only difficulty is,to make your mean ings, when they are fair, and friendly, intelligible to him. Effect this, and you may lead him with a ftraw. "Nor is he without his focial feelings, when he is at liberty to indulge them. In thefe foreft-migrations, it is commonly obferved, that of whatever number the herd confifts, they generally feparate, in their daily excurfions, into fuch little knots, and focieties, as have former. ly had habits of intimacy together;

and in thefe friendly groups they range the foreft; returning home at night, in different parties, fome earlier, and fome later, as they have been more or lefs fortunate in the purfuits of the day.

"It founds oddly to affirm the life of a hog to been viable; and yet there is fomething uncommonly pleafing in the lives of thefe emigrants fomething at leaft more defirable than is to be found in the life of a hog, Epicuri de grege. They feem themfelves alfo to enjoy their mode of life. You fee them perfectly happy, going about at their eafe, and converfing with each other in fhort, pithy, interrupted fentences, which are no doubt, expreffive of their own enjoyments, and of social feelings."

ITHIN this century, I be lieve, the barbarous cuf tom of docking horfes came in ufe; and hath paffed through various modifications like all other cuftoms, which are not founded in nature and truth. A few years ago the fhort dock was the only tail (if it may be called fuch) in fashion, both in the army, and in carriages. The abfurdity however of this total amputation began to appear. The gentlemen of the army led the way. They acknowledged the beauty, and ufe of the tail, as nature made it. The fhort dock every where difappeared; and all dragoon-horfes paraded with long tails.

The nag-tail however ftill continued in use. Of this there are feveral fpecies, all more or lefs mutilated. The most deformed one is 1791.

nicked-tail; fo named from a cruel operation used in forming it. The under finews of the dock being di vided, the tail starts upwards, direct ly contrary to the pofition, which nature intended. The nag-tail is ftill feen in all genteel carriages. Nor will any perfon of fashion ride a horfe without one. Even the gentlemen of the army, who have fhewn the moft fenfe in the affair of horfe-tails, have been fo mifled, as to introduce the nag-tail into the light-horfe; though it would be as difficult to give a reafon now for the nag-tail, as formerly for the shortdock.

"Two things are urged in defence of this cruel mutilation-the utility and the beauty of it. Let us briefly as poffible, examine both.

"To make an animal useful is, L

no

no doubt, the first confideration and to make a horfe fo, we muft neceffarily make him fuffer fome things, which are unnatural, becaufe we take him out of a state of nature. He must be fed with hay, and corn in the winter, which he cannot get in his open paftures: for if he have exercife beyond nature, he must have such food, as will enable him to bear it. As it is neceffary likewife to make our roads hard, and durable, it is neceffary alfo to give the horse an iron hoof, that he may travel over them without injuring his feet. But all this has nothing to do with his tail, from which no incumbrance arifes.

"Yes, fays the advocate for dock ing; as it is necellary for the horfe to travel, to hunt, and to race, it is ufeful to lighten him of every incumbrance. And as it is neceffary for him to travel through dirty roads; it is useful to rid him of an inftru. ment, which is continally collecting dirt and lashing it over himself, and his rider.

"To eafe your horfe of every incumbrance in travelling, is certainly right. You should fee that his bridle, and faddle, (which are his great incumbrances) are as eafy as poffible: and that the weight he carries, or draws, be proportioned to his ftrength. But depend upon it, he receives no incumbrance from nature. It is a maxim among all true philofophers, that nature has given nothing in vain and there can be no reasonable doubt, but that nature has given the horfe his tail to balance, and afft his motions. That this is the cafe, feems plain from the ufe he makes of it. When the animal is at reft, his tail is pendent: but when he is in violent action; he raifes, and fpreads it, as a bird does in the fame fituation. Would the fwallow, or the dove be affifted

in their flight by the lofs of their tails or the greyhound in his speed by docking him? For myself, I have no doubt, but if the experiment were tried at Newmarket, which I fuppofe it never was, the horse with his long tail, however the literati there might laugh at him, would not be in the leaft injured in his speed; and would certainly answer better, in all his sudden turns, to the intention of his rider. He would extend, and fpread his helm: it would fteer his way; and we fhould feldom hear of his running out of his course, or on the wrong fide of the poft.

"Befides, his tail probably affifts him even in his common exertions ; and balances his body, when he trots, and prevents his ftumbling. I have heard a gentleman, who had travelled much in the eaft, remark, that the Turkish, and Arabian horfes rarely ftumble; which he attribut ed, and with much appearance of truth, to their long tails.

"But whatever ufe the tail mav be to the horse in action, it is ac knowledged on all hands to be of infinite ufe to him, at reft. Whoever fees the horse grazing in fummer, and obferves the conftant use he makes of his long tail in bathing the flies from his fides, must be per fuaded, that it is a moft ufeful inftrument: and must be hurt to fee him fidget a fhoit dock, back and forward, with ineffectual attempts to rid himself of fome plague, which he cannot reach.

"As to the objection against the tail, as an inftrument, which is continually gathering dirt, and lashing it around, if there be any truth in what I have already obferved, this little objection diffolves itfelf; efpecially as the inconvenience may with great cafe be remedied, whea the road is dirty, either by knotting

up

up the tail, or by tying it with a leathern-ftrap.

"But whatever becomes of utility, the horse is certainly more beautiful, we are told, without his dang ling tail. What a handfome figure he makes, when he carries both his ends well! This is the constant language of horse-dealers, ftable-keepers, and grooms; and fuch language, though originating in taftelefs ignorance, and mere prejudice, has drawn over men of fenfe, and understanding. It is inconceiveable, how delufively the eye fees, as well as the derstanding, when it is fafcinated, and led afide by fafhion, and cuftom. Affociated ideas of various kinds give truth a different air. When we fee a game-cock with all his fprightly actions, and gorgeous plumes about him, we acknowledge one of the most beautiful birds in nature. But when we see him armed with steel, and prepared for battle; we cry, what a fcare crow! But a cock-fighter, with all the ideas of the pit about him, will conceive, that in this latter ftate, he is in his greatest beauty and if his picture be drawn, it must be drawn in this ridiculous manner. I have often feen it.

"Let jockies, and ftable-boys, and cock-fighters keep their own abfurd ideas but let not men, who pretend to fee, and think for themfelves, adopt fuch ridiculous conceits. In arts, we judge by the rules of art. In nature, we have no criterion but the forms of nature. We criticise a building by the rules of architecture: but in judging of a tree, or a mountain; we judge by the most beautiful forms of each, which nature hath given us. It is thus in other things. From nature alone we have the form of a hoife. Should we then seek for beauty in that object, in our own wild concep

tions; or recur to the great original, from whence we had it? We may be affured, that nature's forms are always the most beautiful; and therefore we fhould endeavour to correct our ideas by hers.-lf however we cannot give up the point, let us at least be confiftent. If we admire a horfe without a tail, or a cock without feathers, let us not laugh at the Chinese for admiring the difproportioned foot of his miftrefs; nor at the Indian, for doting on her black teeth, and tattooed cheeks. For myself, I cannot conceive, why it should make a horse more beautiful to take his tail from him, than it would make a man to clap a tail to him.-With regard indeed to the natural beauty of a horfe's tail, we want little reafoning on the fubject. In conjunction with his name it gives him dignity.- It hides his ftradling buttocks; which is a decency in nature, we fhould admire, rather than deftroy.-It forms a contraft among the legs. The four equal legs of every animal are it's greateft deformity; and their famenefs of courfe gives the painter the most trouble in the management of them. In many of her forms indeed, where nature does not feem to aim at beauty, fhe neglects this economy: but as if he meant the horfe for one of her most elegant productions, fhe has provided for him in this refpect alfo by giving him a graceful flow of hair, which hiding fometimes one leg and sometimes another, introduces a pleasing contraft among them all.-The accidental motion alfo of the tail gives it peculiar beauty; both when the horfe moves it himfelf; and when it waves in the wind. The beauty of it indeed to an unprejudiced eye is confpicuous at once; and in all parade, and ftate-horfes it is acknowledged though even here

L 2

there