The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-17
HORSES THAT i: I \
ARE HORSES
They Have Figured in History
and in Prose and
Poetry.
BYR0N's HORSE IN "MAZEPPA"
But Other Writers, Scott, for In
stance, Understood Horse
ology' Better8Tllan Byron.

Though poets and novellsts have IN
countless works wrlttcn,3in vague and
general praise OF the horse. when one
begins to delve into particulars one re-
allies that tho writer of fiction has, as
rule, been always rather shy of this
subject. The novelist and the poet have
not, one begins to discover. much real
acquaintance with horses and horsemnn-
ship. and a survey OF the literature OF
the last century almost convinces one
that writer's, as a class. prefer TO leave
the achievements OF the noblest OF all
domesticated animals rather severely
alone Few creators Of romance have.
in fact, cared to partcularize on sub
feet which, adequately dealt with' oHers
many attractions.
byron. It is true. strikes n stirring note
In the poem OF ..Mazeppa," that sDirlted
and romantic setting OF an OLD Foilsn
or Cossack tradition Byron gathered ms
materials for "Mazeppa from Noltalre
"Hlstory of Charles XII" and makes his
hero tho aged hetman Of the Ukraine
Cossacks, recount his terrible ride 10
Charles on the night following the dlsas-
trous battle Of Pultowa.
! According to Byron, Mazcppa, a young
Polish gentleman. detected In an intrigue
with the wife Of count of Podolla. Is
SEIZED bound to tho back Of an u I,,,
horse fresh from the wilds OF Ukraine.
ana driven forth into the forest and the
wilderness. i The tale Is hercely tod N
| Byron's best manner. yet when one Pc
| rins To Inquire closely into the partlculaIs
one finds that poctical license mas Dceh
somewhat too freely made use o. ior
! two days and nights according 70 Byron.
Mazeppn's steed carries MN " ua, ~.
80 headlong that even the tireless Wot'es
which pursue them are leit pehi'iu' IN,
Now. wolves, 1t Is we'll known, VIII
rim down the best horse In the world;
while amy one who is acquainted with
hnrsca and their capabilities VIII bear
mt the writer In his affirmation that no
horse ever fonled could pursue RAPID
hight unchecked, for 4s hours. Flow
aver. at the end Of that time, even wy
steed portrayed by Byron neslhs ~ nus
Ho swims with his burden hctoss -, q
mighty river. and presently s N1oznnnn
mnen the Ukraine steppe Where Hinh ~, 20
T.. roycucd and unbound by the natlSss
-. -, tbat wild district. Among these peop'e
~ haro makes his home IN years "
-" risinr to the position of hetmah or
nr,nce Of the Ukraine Cossnck
Cir walter Scott understood horses prop-
ohlv good deal better than dld hy y,,,1
and in the LADY 81 Wy - c,a
lam dames, chase OF the stag, reused IN Wv
nartnev forest, Is with q first rate morse
rea sible enough, FitzJames' hoWeye e, ,
arnoora TO have been O. more enthusiasts
hmnter than no was good horse master
and having oyerrldden his good gray IRON
Clan nIanartnay to the shores Of loeh katrlne'
80 generous beast yields UP IT'S NE,
and .stretched Its stiff limbs 10 rise no
more" .a,doot tho !
Scott however, paints an incident tn a
still occasionally happens, even " .uS
hunting, and his knowledge OF the gIou l'a
described and of the limits OF morse.
endurance has prevented him IRON, ae-
nictinp the impossible In his spirlteu hf-
count OF the great run with GlenaF''ey
stag. No. ,,a,,. Lnown de-
acrintion Of Dick Turpin's rMe 10 YORK
a1mnst resc1es 'Rookwood' from the re-
zion az rather cheap melodrama' Iurpin'
~ course 4 never performed the r1de, IN
n,,ast,on q ride as Ainsworth describes
II, probably far beyond tho UNITS % any
single lorse's endurance.
Among English novelists Whyte Mel
ville certainly knew more about horses
and their capabilities than any ofhor'
IN aka terfelto" he has made the hlgh-
waymnn,s gray nag, of which John Car
nett becomes possessed, almost as much
! the hero OF his tale as the man who be-
strides it,. The hunt on I1XToor is en-
cellently we'll done. and katerfello's leap
for freedom, leap which saves his
1 aa,.t.rto nd IL tha undoing of ParSop Gale