and provoked by the triumphant tone of the Orientals, resolved to test the question. The Irish mare "Fair Nell" was selected, which was not a racer of any note or distinction, and about which there is now some dispute, whether she is or is not actually thorough-bred, though she is known to be very highly and very well bred; and the result was, that vastly to the disgust and disappointment of the Egyptians, she defeated all the best Arabs of the Pasha's stud with perfect ease. It has been asserted and is constantly urged by the favorers and defenders of Oriental blood, that no horses of really superior qualities or decided excellencies, as Arabs or Barbs, have recently been imported; and that to this, and to no natural or general inferiority of the Arab or Oriental horse, is the want of success in breeding from him to be attributed; and, as a matter of course, every one who imports an Arab or a Barb, asserts that his horse, and his only, is a real and superior-blooded animal. The plea is not, however, a valid one; for it is not likely, when a great majority of the horses imported from the East into both England and America have been gifts of Oriental potentates to crowned heads or presidents, that no one of them should have been a valuable creature.
It is clearly the sounder opinion that the modern thorough-bred horse of Oriental origin is a superior creature to the modern Arab; and consequently it is clearly unwise to attempt to breed thorough-bred mares to Oriental stallions, or to breed any highly bred mares to such stallions, in preference to the best thorough-breds. Still it appears not improbable that the general trotting stock and country stock of America might be improved by crossing with good Arabian or Barb blood, where the best thorough-blood, combined with fine form and power, is not to be attained. We are even impressed with the idea, that with some half-blooded breeds, such as the Canadians and Normans, both
