The young men of those days were rendered brave, and lofty,
and generous in their notions, by almost living in their saddles, and
having their foaming steeds 'like proud seas under them.' There is
something," he adds, "in bestriding a fine horse that makes a man feel
more than mortal. He seems to have doubled his nature, and to have
added to his own courage and sagacity the power, the speed, and
stateliness of the superb animal on which he is mounted."
"It is a great delight," says old Nashe, "to see a young gentleman
with his skill and cunning, by his voice, rod, and spur, better to
manage and to command the great Bucephalus, than the strongest Milo,
with all his strength; one while to see him make him tread, trot, and
gallop the ring; and one after to see him make him gather up roundly;
to bear his head steadily; to run a full career swiftly; to stop a
sudden lightly; anon after to see him make him advance, to yerke, to
go back, and sidelong, to turn on either hand; to gallop the gallop
galliard; to do the capriole, the chambetta, and dance the curvetty."
In conformity to these ideas, the Squire had them all on horseback at
an early age, and made them ride, slapdash, about the country, without
flinching at hedge, or ditch, or stone wall, to the imminent danger of
their necks.
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