But the
singularity of this case is, that the third Horse, whom he calls
Pedasus**, was absolutely a common Horse, and of no blood. Here I
beg leave to make use of Mr. Pope's words, who, in his
translation, speaking of those Horse, says thus:
"Who like in strength, in swiftness, and in grace,
"A mortal courser match'd th'immortal race."
Now as nothing is more certain, than that no Horses but those of
blood can race in our days, I have long been endeavouring to find
the true reason of this singular instance, and cannot any way
account for it, but by supposing this equality of strength and
elegance might produce an equality of swiftness. This
consideration naturally produced another, which is, that the blood
of all Horses may be merely ideal; and if so, a word of no
meaning. But before I advance any thing more on this hypothesis,
and that I may not be guilty of treason against the received laws
of jockey-ship, I do here lay it down as a certain truth, that no
Horses but such as come from foreign countries, or which are of
extraction totally foreign, can race. In this opinion every man
will readily join me, and this opinion will be confirmed by every
man's experience and observation.
But in discussing this point, I shall beg leave, when speaking of
these Horses, to change the word HIGH-BRED, and in its room
substitute the word foreigner, or of foreign extraction.
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