PREFACE. 66 THE first inquiry on seeing a book advertised as "shortly will be published," "in the press," or, 'just published," usually is, Who is the author? and happy he who dares hope that his name may be any recommendation to the forthcoming work. But supposing even this to be the case, the author must not hold such a consummation of his wishes to be a proof that he is of more than médiocre general talent; for the favourable reception his works may meet with, may very probably arise more from his knowledge of his subject than from any superior mental qualities; and the most flattering compliment he is in such case warranted in taking to himself is, that he has sense enough to write on such matters only as he is conversant with. Many authors are not content to thus limit the effusions of their pen, and when they do not, the public generally gives them a silent, but forcible lesson, by leaving such works unpurchased and unread; and if that awful tribunal, the press, finds that, so far from being authorised in exhibiting its usual liberality and indulgence, justice and impartiality demand a castigation at its hands, the author must possess more courage, or vanity, than one in a thousand, if he can again raise his diminished head. In bringing forward any work before the public, it should be no light consideration with an author what title he selects; for if the title is judiciously chosen, it frequently prevents the reader being disappointed in not finding the work embrace matter of a different order from any the author may contemplate. For instance, had I designated this volume "A Manual of Horsemanship," - "A Treatise on Horsemanship,"— or, worse than all, "The Complete Horseman,” — he would naturally expect to find in it all the minutiae of manége, principle and practice; and on such style of riding, more or less, have nearly all works on Horsemanship treated. That such works are of a superior order to PREFACE. that now in the reader's hands, I have not the slightest objection to admit: whether to the ordinary rider they may be more useful, is quite another matter. It is not to the generality of men that all the perplexing intricacies of any pursuit are necessary; to the majority they would be useless; and I do not hesitate to say, that two thirds of what is discussed in elaborate works on Horsemanship would only perplex the ordinary pupil, without doing him any good. They are highly creditable to the professors; and if my reader contemplates becoming one of these, let him read them, and throw this aside, for its title only holds out as its object the hope of assisting him in becoming a practical horseman as a private individual. The design of the present book did not originate with myself, but was suggested to me by others, who flatter me by thinking that I could write what might be acceptable and useful to many, on the subject of general practical horsemanship. Of course, wherever, and whenever, horsemanship is displayed, be it of what sort it may, it is practical; but I mean by the term to indicate such horsemanship as is in every-day use. I do not mean to insinuate that I can, or ever A B |