1. Of cutting off all our sheep's tails.
2. Of dittoing the tails of all dogs that take care of sheep.
3. Of dittoing the ears of terriers.
4. Of dittoing a portion of the tails, and occasionally of the ears, of our horses.
5. Of piercing with a sharp awl8 the ears of all our daughters, in order to insert therein golden rings, which, by equalizing all, can confer no possible benefit on any one: that is to say, provided Euclid is correct in declaring that "when equals are added to equals, their sums are equal."
If any person among us defaces a statue, he is liable to punishment and to the execration9 of the public; and137 yet there can be no doubt that in every sense of the word it is more barbarous to mutilate the living original of an Almighty10 Creator than a cold stone or marble copy thereof, chiselled11 more or less imperfectly by human hands.
About forty years ago it was the general custom to dock the tails of all hunters, covert-hacks, and waggon-horses, so close, that nothing remained of this picturesque12, beautiful ornament13 of Nature but an ugly, stiff stump14, very little longer than the human thumb, which, especially in summer time, was seen continually wagging to the right or left, in impotent attempts to brush off a hungry fly, biting the skin more than a yard off. At about the same period an officer in our army took to the Cape15 of Good Hope a gentle, beautiful, thoroughbred mare16, which, to his astonishment17, the natives appeared exceedingly unwilling18 to approach. The reason was, that her ears had been cropped; and as among themselves that punishment was inflicted19 for crimes, they were induced to infer that the handsome mutilated animal had suffered from a similar cause—in fact, that she was vicious.
From the same premises20, and by the same reasoning faculties21, they might as erroneously have conceived that the holes bored through most of the English ladies' ears denoted the existence of a uniform speck22 of some sort or other in their characters.
138
Having briefly23 enumerated24 only a few of the mutilations which, in different regions of the earth, man inflicts25, not only upon the animals around him, but upon himself, we will proceed to notice a prescription26 of modern date which has produced very astonishing results.
As in crime there exists an essential difference between cutting off a man's head, and cutting off only his hair, so in cruelty does there exist a similar difference between the fashion which mutilates the body of an animal, and that which deprives him only of its covering: still, however, the practice of clipping, shaving, and singeing27 horses must, to every person, at first sight appear so incomprehensible that a slight notice of the subject may possibly be deemed worthy28 of a few minutes' consideration.
To a wild horse, roaming in a state of perfect freedom, Nature grants an allowance very similar to that which every inhabitant of Grosvenor Square gives to each of his tall powdered footmen: namely, board, lodging29, and two suits of clothing per annum; with this important difference, however, that while the poor pampered30, gaudy31 menial is ignorantly dressed throughout the whole year in cloth and plush of the same thickness, the animal is beneficently provided with two different descriptions of clothing, namely, a light thin silky coat for summer wear, and a thick fur one to keep him warm and comfortable throughout the winter months.
139
Now it might be expected that if man undertook to interfere32 with this provision, he would, in accordance with the spirit and meaning of the act by which it had been decreed, extend its principle by relieving the horse of a portion of his covering during the excessive heat of summer, and by bestowing33 upon him a little extra warmth in winter; whereas, by the operation about to be described, he makes the animal's cold weather coat infinitely34 less able to resist cold than that purposely created for sunshine only.
About fifty years ago, during the Peninsular war, it was observed that the Spanish muleteers gave to the animals they had charge of great apparent relief by rudely shearing35 off the hair that covered their bodies; and on the idea being imported into England, our hunting men, principally at Melton, commenced the practice by "clipping," at a cost at first of about five guineas, their hunters.
This operation, which, in its infancy36, occupied four or five days, was succeeded by the practice of shaving, which, in about as many hours, left the animal as bare as the hide of a pig that had just been killed, scalded, and scraped.
This latter operation, however, was found to be attended with two opposite disadvantages: for, if perpetrated too soon, it required to be repeated, or rather to be succeeded140 by clipping; and if delayed till the growth of the thick coat had subsided37, the horse remained throughout the winter naked like an elephant.
In order therefore to shorten the coat exactly in proportion to its uncertain growth, it was determined38 gradually and repeatedly to burn it by fire to the minimum length prescribed, that is, leaving only sufficient to conceal39 the bare skin.
When the animal has thus been denuded40 of his coat, so long as he remains41 in his hot stable it is restored to him with compound interest, by two, and occasionally by three suits of warm clothing, which he might expect would, like that worn by his lord and master, be increased as soon as he should be led from his covered domicile into the open air. But the contrary operation takes place; for while his owner is swathing himself in his extra flannel42 hunting clothing, the singed43 quadruped at the same moment, in order to be taken to the meet, at one haul is denuded of the whole of his indoor clothing, a bridle44 is put into his mouth, a saddle on his bare back, and in this state, literally45, without metaphor46, more naked than he was born, he is suddenly led or ridden ten or fifteen miles through perhaps wind, rain, sleet47, or snow, to be exposed throughout the whole day to sudden sweats and sudden chills, in temperatures and at elevations48 of the most trying description.
141
Now, of course, in theory, nothing can be more unnatural49, and it might be added more barbarous, than this treatment; and yet, strange to say, by acclamation it would be declared by every horse-owner who has tried it that, in practice, it produces to the animal not only beneficial, but unexpected, results.
The appetite grows stronger.
The flesh increases.
The muscles thicken.
In consequence of greatly diminished perspiration52 the amount of food necessary to recruit the body may be reduced, at least, one feed per day.
After hunting, the skin, instead of breaking out from internal debility and exhaustion53, remains dry.
Lastly, as mud and dirt cannot take hold of a singed coat, and consequently as little or no grooming54 is required, the animal, on reaching his stable, soon enjoys rest, instead of being for an hour or two teased, excited, and irritated, by being tied up, hissed55 at, and cleaned.
But, against all these advantages, it is only fair to weigh the amount of suffering which it is supposed by us a horse endures by being stripped of his coat and clothing, and in that naked state being suddenly plunged56, during winter, into the external air.
142
In ascertaining57 this amount of suffering, however, we must not commit the error of estimating a horse's sensation by what, under similar circumstances, we imagine would be our own, for the cases are quite different.
Throughout the frame or fabric58 of man, his blood, however proud it may be, circulates so feebly, that on being subjected to a low temperature it actually, like fluid in a pipe, freezes in his veins59; whereas throughout the body of a horse it is propelled with such violence, that, like the deep water in the Canada lakes, it is beyond the power of cold, however intense, to stop it; and accordingly, when everything else around stands frozen, it triumphantly60 continues its fluent course. In fact, the relative power of the two animals to resist cold is fully61 proportionate to the difference between their muscular strength; and as the human being, notwithstanding its weakness, is strong enough to endure the sudden transition from a hot bath to a cold one, or, as is the custom in Russia, to a roll on the snow, so, à fortiori, is a hunter gifted by Nature with a circulation of blood powerful enough to enable him, without injury or suffering, to bear an apparently62 unnatural mode of treatment, which, although it makes us almost shiver to think of, is productive to his stouter frame of beneficial results, of inestimable value.
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1 incumbent | |
adj.成为责任的,有义务的;现任的,在职的 | |
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2 civilized | |
a.有教养的,文雅的 | |
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3 profess | |
v.声称,冒称,以...为业,正式接受入教,表明信仰 | |
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4 Christian | |
adj.基督教徒的;n.基督教徒 | |
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5 violation | |
n.违反(行为),违背(行为),侵犯 | |
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6 benign | |
adj.善良的,慈祥的;良性的,无危险的 | |
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7 deliberately | |
adv.审慎地;蓄意地;故意地 | |
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8 awl | |
n.尖钻 | |
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9 execration | |
n.诅咒,念咒,憎恶 | |
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10 almighty | |
adj.全能的,万能的;很大的,很强的 | |
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11 chiselled | |
adj.凿过的,凿光的; (文章等)精心雕琢的v.凿,雕,镌( chisel的过去式 ) | |
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12 picturesque | |
adj.美丽如画的,(语言)生动的,绘声绘色的 | |
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13 ornament | |
v.装饰,美化;n.装饰,装饰物 | |
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14 stump | |
n.残株,烟蒂,讲演台;v.砍断,蹒跚而走 | |
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15 cape | |
n.海角,岬;披肩,短披风 | |
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16 mare | |
n.母马,母驴 | |
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17 astonishment | |
n.惊奇,惊异 | |
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18 unwilling | |
adj.不情愿的 | |
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19 inflicted | |
把…强加给,使承受,遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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20 premises | |
n.建筑物,房屋 | |
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21 faculties | |
n.能力( faculty的名词复数 );全体教职员;技巧;院 | |
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22 speck | |
n.微粒,小污点,小斑点 | |
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23 briefly | |
adv.简单地,简短地 | |
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24 enumerated | |
v.列举,枚举,数( enumerate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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25 inflicts | |
把…强加给,使承受,遭受( inflict的第三人称单数 ) | |
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26 prescription | |
n.处方,开药;指示,规定 | |
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27 singeing | |
v.浅表烧焦( singe的现在分词 );(毛发)燎,烧焦尖端[边儿];烧毛 | |
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28 worthy | |
adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的 | |
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29 lodging | |
n.寄宿,住所;(大学生的)校外宿舍 | |
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30 pampered | |
adj.饮食过量的,饮食奢侈的v.纵容,宠,娇养( pamper的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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31 gaudy | |
adj.华而不实的;俗丽的 | |
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32 interfere | |
v.(in)干涉,干预;(with)妨碍,打扰 | |
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33 bestowing | |
砖窑中砖堆上层已烧透的砖 | |
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34 infinitely | |
adv.无限地,无穷地 | |
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35 shearing | |
n.剪羊毛,剪取的羊毛v.剪羊毛( shear的现在分词 );切断;剪切 | |
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36 infancy | |
n.婴儿期;幼年期;初期 | |
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37 subsided | |
v.(土地)下陷(因在地下采矿)( subside的过去式和过去分词 );减弱;下降至较低或正常水平;一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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38 determined | |
adj.坚定的;有决心的 | |
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39 conceal | |
v.隐藏,隐瞒,隐蔽 | |
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40 denuded | |
adj.[医]变光的,裸露的v.使赤裸( denude的过去式和过去分词 );剥光覆盖物 | |
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41 remains | |
n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹 | |
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42 flannel | |
n.法兰绒;法兰绒衣服 | |
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43 singed | |
v.浅表烧焦( singe的过去式和过去分词 );(毛发)燎,烧焦尖端[边儿] | |
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44 bridle | |
n.笼头,束缚;vt.抑制,约束;动怒 | |
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45 literally | |
adv.照字面意义,逐字地;确实 | |
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46 metaphor | |
n.隐喻,暗喻 | |
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47 sleet | |
n.雨雪;v.下雨雪,下冰雹 | |
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48 elevations | |
(水平或数量)提高( elevation的名词复数 ); 高地; 海拔; 提升 | |
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49 unnatural | |
adj.不自然的;反常的 | |
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50 stouter | |
粗壮的( stout的比较级 ); 结实的; 坚固的; 坚定的 | |
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51 swelled | |
增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 ); 肿胀; (使)凸出; 充满(激情) | |
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52 perspiration | |
n.汗水;出汗 | |
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53 exhaustion | |
n.耗尽枯竭,疲惫,筋疲力尽,竭尽,详尽无遗的论述 | |
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54 grooming | |
n. 修饰, 美容,(动物)梳理毛发 | |
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55 hissed | |
发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 ); 发嘘声表示反对 | |
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56 plunged | |
v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 );暴跌;骤降;突降 | |
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57 ascertaining | |
v.弄清,确定,查明( ascertain的现在分词 ) | |
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58 fabric | |
n.织物,织品,布;构造,结构,组织 | |
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59 veins | |
n.纹理;矿脉( vein的名词复数 );静脉;叶脉;纹理 | |
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60 triumphantly | |
ad.得意洋洋地;得胜地;成功地 | |
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61 fully | |
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地 | |
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62 apparently | |
adv.显然地;表面上,似乎 | |
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