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only familiarifes the noife to him, but makes it pleasant, as a forerunner of his meat; whereas, if he was whipped up to it, he might perhaps fart at it as long as he lived. Might not this be applied to his starting at other things, and fhew that it would be better to fuffer him (provided he does not turn back) to go a little from and avoid an object he has a diflike to, and to accustom him to it by degrees, convincing him, as it were, that it will not hurt him; than to punish him, quarrel with him, and perhaps fubmit to his will at last, while you infift on his overcoming his fear in an inftant? If he fees a like object again, it is probable he will recollect his dread, and arm himself to be disobedient.

We are apt to fuppofe that a horse fears nothing fo much as his rider: but may he not, in many circumRances, be afraid of inftant deftruction? of being crushed? of being drowned? of falling down a precipice? Is it a wonder that a horfe hould be afraid of a loaded waggon? may not the hanging load feem to threaten the falling on him? There cannot be a rule more general, than, in fuch a cafe, to show him there is room for him to pafs. This is done by turning his head a very little from the carriage, and preffing your leg, which is fartheft from it, against his fide.

A horfe is not to ftop without a fign from his rider. Is it not then probable, that when driven up to a carriage he starts at it, he conceives himfelf obliged either to attack or run against it? Can he understand the rider's fpurring him with his face directed to it, as a fign for him to pass it? That a horfe is cafily alarmed for h's face and eyes (he will even catch back his head from a hand going to carefs him) that he will not go with any force, face to face, even to another horfe (if in his power to ftop) and that he fees perfectly fideways,

may be useful hints for the treatmest of horses with regard to starting.

Though you ought not to whip a horfe from starting, there can be no good effect from clapping his neck with your hand to encourage him. If one took any notice of his Itarting, it should be rather with fome tone of voice which he ufually understood as an expreffion of diflike to what he is doing; for there is oppofition mixed with his ftarting, and a horse will ever repeat what he finds has foiled his rider.

Notwithstanding the directions above given, of not preffing a horfe up to a carriage he starts at; yet if one which you apprehend will frighten him meets you at a narrow part of the road, when you have once let him know he is to pals it, be fure you remain determined, and prefs him on. Do this more especially when part of the carriage has already paffed you: for if, when he is frightened, he is accuftomed to go back, and turn round, he will certainly do it if he finds, by your hand flackening, and legs not preffing, that you are irre folute; and this at the most dangerous point of time, when the wheels of the carriage take him as he turns. Remember not to touch the curb-rein at this time; it will certainly check him. It is not known to every one, that the perfon who would lead a horfe by the bridle fhould not turn his face to him when he refufes to follow him: if, befide this, he raifes his arms, hows his whip, or pulls the bridle with jerks, he frightens the horse, inftead of perfuading him to follow, which a little patience may bring about.

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Ride with a fnaffle; and ufe your curb, if you have one, only occafionally. Choufe your fnaffle full and thick in the mouth, efpecially at the ends to which the reins are faftened. Most of them are made too small and long; they cut the hotfe's mouth, and

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bend back over the bars of his jaw, working like pincers.

The management of the curb is too nice a matter to enter on here, farther than to prescribe great caution in the afe of it; a turn of the wrift, rather than the weight of your arm, fhould be applied to it. The elasticity of a rod, when it hath hooked a fish, may give you fome idea of the proper play of a horfe's head on his bridle; his fpirit and his pliablenefs are both marked by it.

A horfe fhould never be put to do any thing in a curb which he is not ready at: you may force him, or pull his head any way with a fnaffle; but a curb acts only in a ftraight line. It is true, that a horfe will be turned out of one track into another by a curb, but it is because he knows it as a fignal. When he is put to draw a chair, and does not understand the neceffity he is then under of taking a larger fweep when he turns, you frequently fee him reftive, as it is then called: but put him on a fnaffle, or buckle the rein to that part of the bit which does not curb him: and the horfe fubmits to be pulled about, till he understands what is defired of him. Thele directions fuppofe your horfe to have spirit, and a good mouth: if he has not, you must take him as he is, and ride him with fuch a bit as you find moft eafy to yourself.

When you ride a journey, be not fo attentive to your horfe's nice carriage of himself, as to your encouragement of him, and keeping him in good humour. Raife his head; but if he ags, you may indulge him with bearing a little more upon the bit than you would fuffer in an airing. If a horfe is lame, tender-footed, or tired, be naturally hangs upon his bridle. On a journey, therefore, his mouth will depend greatly on his ftrength and the goodness of his feet. Be then very careful about his feet, and let not a farrier fpoil them.

Very few, altho' practifed in rid

ing, know they have any power over a horfe but by the bridle; or any use for the fpur, except to make him go forward. A little experience will teach them a farther ufe. If the left fpur touches him (and he is at the fame time prevented from going forward) he has a fign which he will foon understand, to move fideways to the right. In the fame manner to the left, if the right spur is closed to him, he afterward, through fear of the fpur, obeys a touch of the leg; in the fame manner as a horse moves his croup from one fide of the stall to the other, when any one strikes him with his hand. In short, his croup is guided by the leg, as his head is by the bridle. He will never difobey the leg, unless he becomes reftive. By this means you will have a far greater power over him he will move fideways, if you clofe one leg to him and ftraight forward, if both: even when he ftands ftill, your legs held near him will keep him on the watch; and with the flightest, unfeen motion of the bridle upward, he will raise his head, and fhow his forehand to advantage.

On this ufe of the legs of the rider, and guidance of the croup of the horfe, are founded all the airs (as the riding-mafters exprefs themselves) which are taught in the manege; the paffage, or fide-motion of troopers to clole or open their files, and indeed all their evolutions. But the convenience of fome degree of this difcipline for common ufe is the reafon of mentioning it here. It is useful if a horse is apt to ftumble or start. If to the firit, by preffing your legs to his flank, and keeping up his head, he is made to go light on his fore-legs, which is aiding and fupporting him; and the fame if he does actually ftumble, by helping him at the very inftant to exert himself, while as yet any part of him remains not irrecoverably impreffed with the precipitate motion. Hence this ufe of the hand and legs of

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the rider is called giving aids to a horfe; for, as to holding up the weight of a heavy unactive horse, by mere pulling, it is as impoffible as to, recover him when falling down a precipice.

A horfe is fupported and helped by the hands and legs of his rider in every action they require of him; hence he is faid to perform his airs by the aids of his rider.

The fame manner is ufeful if a horse starts. For if when he is beginning to fly to one fide, you leg on the fide he is flying to, he flops his fpring immediately. He goes paft what he ftarted at, keeping ftraight on, or as you choose to direct him; and he will not fly back from any thing if you prefs him with both legs. You keep his haunches under him going down a hill; help him on the fide of a bank; more eafily avoid the wheel of a carriage; and approach more gracefully, and nearer to the fide of a coach or horfeman. When a pampered horfe curvets irregularly and twifts his body to and fro, turn his head either to the right or left, or both alternately (but without letting him move out of the track), and prefs your leg to the oppofite fide; your horfe then cannot fpring on his hinder legs to one fide, because your leg prevents him; nor to the other, becaufe his head looks that way, and a horfe does not start and spring to the fide on which he looks. Here it may not be amifs to obferve the impropriety of the habit which many riders have, of letting their legs thake

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against the fides of the horse: if a horfe is taught, they are then continually prefling him to violent action; and if he is not, they render him infenfible and incapable of being taught. The fretting of a hot horfe will hence be excellive, as it can no otherwife be moderated than by the utmost fillnefs of the feats, hand, and legs of the rider.

Colts at firft are taught to bear a bit, and by degrees to pull at it. If they did not prefs it,, they could, not be guided by it. By degrees they find their necks ftronger than the arms of a man; and that they are capable of making great oppofition, and often of foiling their riders. Then is the time to make them fapple and pliant in every part. The part which of all others requires most this pliancy is the neck. Hence the metaphor of stiffnecked for difobedient. A horfe cannot move his head but with the muscles of his neck; this may be called his helm; it guides his courfe, changes and directs his motion.

The use of this pliancy in the different parts and limbs of a horse is not neceffary to be fhewn in this effay, which is directed folely to the inexperienced horfeman. It may, therefore, fuffice to add, that his idea of supplenefs need only be, that of an ability and readiness in a horse to move every limb, on a fign given him by the hands or legs of his rider: as also, to bend his body, and move in a short compafs, quick and collected within himself, so as inftantly to be able to perform any other motion.

Anecdotes & Traits Characteristiques-Anecdotes and Characteristic CircumStances in the Life of Joseph II. late Emperor of Germany; to which is prefixed his Teftament. By Madame de R.

THOUGH we have received only the first number of thefe anec

dotes, they are too interefting to be paffed over in filent expectation.

The

The first part, as the title mentions, is the will of the emperor, dated at Vienna, the 18th of February, 1790. This will fhews equal judgment and reflection: we shall copy only two of the articles.

1 order, that the moment I ceafe to exift, the fum of 10,000 florins be delivered to the different parifhes of this city and fuburbs, to be diftributed to the modeft and indigent poor, that they may pray for me.

I order, that the prefent tefta ment, containing my laft will, be pubJifhed after my death; and I request thofe, to whom I may, contrary to my intention, have not done ample justice, to pardon me as Chriftians and men. I befeech them to confider, that the monarch on his throne, as well as the beggar in his hut, is a man, and each fubject to the fame errors.'

ftate of the kingdom, and the blessings it derived from the emperor.

Moft beneficent Emperor, This is the employment of the week! Four days in repairing the roads; the fifth is deftined for the fisheries; and the fixth for the chace all for the benefit of my fuperior: the feventh belongs to God. Judge, moft juft fovereign, if I can pay the land-tax, and the other impofts."

Jofeph, who, in thefe countrymen, faw creatures like himself, who was fenfible that one man was not born to be the flave of another, and that countrymen, with rude exterior and ruftic garments, often covered noble and Compaffionate hearts, lightened the chains of the Hangarian peafants, and confidered of means entirely to deftroy them. He knew that the feudal fyftem originated from the misfortunes of former ages, from the igno rance and fuperftition of the people ; and that it was fupported by perfonal interefts, and by prejudices. He faw, with a fecret horror, men harneffed to the manorial car, like beasts of burthen, and re-established them in their native privileges. By this action he drew on himself the hatred of the nobility.

During his laft refidence at Lüx emburg, a felect party met daily in his circle. One day the converfation Kad been very ferious, and Jofeph faid, if any one will honour my tomb with an epitaph, let it be the following t "Here lies Jofeph II. who failed in "all his undertakings." Unfortanate Jofeph the me fare of thy ills was not yet fall; it was not as a fo

Jofeph II. was a great traveller, but from the account before us, it was with a defign of knowing mankind, not from an idle curiofity. The ob*ject of his travels in his own country, fays the author, was to examine the foil, the different productions, the inhabitants, whofe manners and laws differ fo much, that their complicated variations check, and often fruftrate, the efforts of government. He wished to afcertain, with his own eyes, the neceffity of reforms, and the proper ⚫ encouragements, fo as to act with the greateft advantage for his fubjects, whom he confidered as his children. With this defign he travelled through Hungary in 1767 and 1773. Nothing efcaped his fcrutinizing eye. He vifited the fortreffs, faw the prifoners confined in them; received with huvereign that thou thouldelt feel dif manity, free from oftentation, the petitions which a vast crowd of every defcription prefented; and, whether he was obliged to proceed or to remain, he particularly attended to them. We can scarcely conceive the impreffion which the following billet, put into his hands in Hungary, mutt have excited. We may judge from it the ९ VOL. XIV. No, 82.

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trefs; it was as a man, as a man of the most refined fentibility."'

During the whole of the night of the 18 of February 1790, the em peror fent hourly to enquire after the arch-duchefs Elizaveth, whole, approaching delivery could no be concealed from him. At half after feven in the morning be received the news

of

H

of the birth of a princefs, but the mother had just expired in the most dreadful torments. Her death muft be known, and his confeffor was commiflioned to inform him of it. Jofeph, overwhelmed with this unexpected ftroke, was for a moment filent, and turned away his head to conceal the laft tears that trickled down his cheeks. A deep figh feemed at last to relieve his oppreffed bofom; he lifted his eyes, yet full of tears, to heaven, and faid, with a refigned voice-" Lord, thy will be done." When he recollected himself, he faw the Count de Rosemberg, and faid to him with an anguifh impoffible to be defcribed

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himself for having occafioned him some uneafinefs. I feel none,' replied he, but on account of your Majesty's fituation.' The old count Haddick was so much affected by the fcene, that he was carried away infenfible. From that moment he never quitted his bed, and died a few days after his fvereign.

Jofeph ordered the infant princefs to be brought to him, and taking it in his languid arms, kiffed and bathed it with his tears. Dear infant,' faid he, true portrait of thy virtuous and amiable mother! Take her away, for my last moment is at hand. He then called his confeffor, who was beginning to prav-God, we praife thee when the emperor interrupted him

My fufferings are incredible: I was 66. pre ared to fupport whatever Hea"ven might have inflicted; but this Lord, thou who alone knoweft my "dreadful misfortune exceeds what-heart, I call thee to witnefs, that I ever I have hitherto experienced." "had no object in any of my underThe arch-duchefs was his beloved fi- takings but the good and happiness fter, and at the moment of her death of the subjects thou hast committed his own was inevitable, and the hour to my charge-Lord, thy will be but shortly diftant. "done!" He then fuffered his con"feffor to go on...

In this moment of difrefs, however, he was careful in his political arrangements, and attentive to the welfare of his fubjects. He ordered the cave, in which the emperors were ufually depofited, to be opened, that those whofe curiofity would lead them to prefs forward, at the moment of his funeral, might not be injured by the noxious vapours; he fent the chancellor an order, written with his own hand, for a million of florins to be taken out of his private property, for the fupport of an inftitution for the relief of thofe brave foldiers who had acquired honour in the field.

On the day of his death he faw his minifters, and again took his leave: they stirred not from his apartment. I die,' faid he to the brave Laudon, I die, happy in being certain that you will be the protector of my army: give me your hand, I fhall foon lofe the pleasure of preffing it in mine.' To the cardinal Megazzi he excufed

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At four in the morning the emperor awaked, after a flight flumber, and field-marfhal de Lafcy, the Prince of Deitricht, count de Rofenberg, and the Baron Storck, who watched in his room, went to his bed. You are ftill here,' faid he. He requested the baron to give him fomething comfortable, and took a little foup. The confeffor, whom he asked for, read prayers again. At the words-We repofe our confidence on faith, hope, and love-the emperor repeated faith aloud, hope in a lower tone, but very diftinctly, and love, with great ardour. It is enough,' added he ;this book of prayers will be of no farther ufe to me: 1 give it to you, preferve it for love of me.' A few moments afterwards he said I-think I have fulfilled every duty as a man, and as a king.' Turning on his fide, he breathed a few moments with difficulty, and expired.

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