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its advantages would still accrue to the ruling race。 For nothing
could be more natural or more easyas more than one legend
intimatesthan that the king should extort the new secret from his
subject； and then put him to death to prevent any further publicity。
Two great inventive geniuses we may see dimly through the abysses of
the past； both of whom must have become in their time great chiefs；
founders of mighty aristocraciesit may be； worshipped after their
death as gods。
The first； who seems to have existed after the age in which the
black race colonised Australia； must have been surely a man worthy
to hold rank with our Brindleys； Watts； and Stephensons。 For he
invented （and mind； one man must have invented the thing first； and
by the very nature of it； invented it all at once） an instrument so
singular； unexpected； unlike anything to be seen in nature； that I
wonder it has not been called； like the plough； the olive； or the
vine； a gift of the immortal gods： and yet an instrument so simple；
so easy； and so perfect； that it spread over all races in Europe and
America； and no substitute could be found for it till the latter
part of the fifteenth century。 Yes； a great genius was he； and the
consequent founder of a great aristocracy and conquering race； who
first invented for himself and his children after him abow and
arrow。
The nextwhether before or after the first in time； it suits me to
speak of him in second placewas the man who was the potential
ancestor of the whole Ritterschaft； Chivalry； and knightly caste of
Europe； the man who first； finding a foal upon the steppe； deserted
by its dam； brought it home； and reared it； and then bethought him
of the happy notion of making it drawpresumably by its taila
fashion which endured long in Ireland； and had to be forbidden by
law； I think as late as the sixteenth century。 A great aristocrat
must that man have become。 A greater still he who first substituted
the bit for the halter。 A greater still he who first thought of
wheels。 A greater still he who conceived the yoke and pole for
bearing up his chariot； for that same yoke； and pole； and chariot；
became the peculiar instrument of conquerors like him who mightily
oppressed the children of Israel； for he had nine hundred chariots
of iron。 Egyptians； Syrians； Assyrians； Greeks； Romansnone of
them improved on the form of the conquering biga； till it was given
up by a race who preferred a pair of shafts to their carts； and who
had learnt to ride instead of drive。 A great aristocrat； again；
must he have been among those latter races who first conceived the
notion of getting on his horse's back； accommodating his motions to
the beast's； and becoming a centaur； half…man； half…horse。 That
invention must have tended； in the first instance； as surely toward
democracy as did the invention of firearms。 A tribe of riders must
have been always； more or less； equal and free。 Equal because a man
on a horse would feel himself a man indeed； because the art of
riding called out an independence； a self…help； a skill； a
consciousness of power； a personal pride and vanity； which would
defy slavery。 Free； because a tribe of riders might be defeated；
exterminated； but never enchained。 They could never become gleboe
adscripti； bound to the soil； as long as they could take horse and
saddle； and away。 History gives us more than one glimpse of such
tribesthe scourge and terror of the non…riding races with whom
they came in contact。 Some； doubtless； remember how in the wars
between Alfred and the Danes； 〃the army〃 （the Scandinavian invaders）
again and again horse themselves； steal away by night from the Saxon
infantry； and ride over the land （whether in England or in France）；
〃doing unspeakable evil。〃 To that special instinct of horsemanship；
which still distinguishes their descendants； we may attribute mainly
the Scandinavian settlement of the north and east of England。 Some；
too； may recollect the sketch of the primeval Hun； as he first
appeared to the astonished and disgusted old Roman soldier Ammianus
Marcellinus； the visages 〃more like cakes than faces；〃 the 〃figures
like those which are hewn out with an axe on the poles at bridge…
ends；〃 the rat…skin coats； which they wore till they rotted off
their limbs； their steaks of meat cooked between the saddle and the
thigh； the little horses on which 〃they eat and drink； buy and sell；
and sleep lying forward along his narrow neck； and indulging in
every variety of dream。〃 And over and above； and more important
politically； the common councils 〃held on horseback； under the
authority of no king； but content with the irregular government of
nobles； under whose leading they force their way through all
obstacles。〃 A racelike those Cossacks who are probably their
lineal descendantsto be feared； to be hired； to be petted； but not
to be conquered。
Instances nearer home of free equestrian races we have in our own
English borderers； among whom （as Mr。 Froude says） the farmers and
their farm…servants had but to snatch their arms and spring into
their saddles and they became at once the Northern Horse； famed as
the finest light cavalry in the world。 And equal to themsuperior
even； if we recollect that they preserved their country's freedom
for centuries against the superior force of Englandwere those
troops of Scots who； century after century； swept across the border
on their little garrons； their bag of oatmeal hanging by the saddle；
with the iron griddle whereon to bake it； careless of weather and of
danger； men too swift to be exterminated； too independent to be
enslaved。
But if horsemanship had； in these cases； a levelling tendency it
would have the very opposite when a riding tribe conquered a non…
riding one。 The conquerors would； as much as possible； keep the art
and mystery of horsemanship hereditary among themselves； and become
a Ritterschaft or chivalrous caste。 And they would be able to do
so： because the conquered race would not care or dare to learn the
new and dangerous art。 There are persons； even in England； who can
never learn to ride。 There are whole populations in Europe； even
now； when races have become almost indistinguishably mixed； who seem
unable to learn。 And this must have been still more the case when
the races were more strongly separated in blood and habits。 So the
Teutonic chief； with his gesitha； comites； or select band of
knights； who had received from him； as Tacitus has it； the war…horse
and the lance； established himself as the natural rulerand
oppressorof the non…riding populations； first over the aborigines
of Germany proper； tribes who seem to have been enslaved； and their
names lost； before the time of Tacitus； and then over the non…riding
Romans and Gauls to the South and West； and the Wendish and
Sclavonic tribes to the East。 Very few in numbers； but mighty in
their unequalled capacity of body and mind； and in their terrible
horsemanship； the Teutonic Ritterschaft literally rode roughshod
over the old world； never checked； but when they came in contact
with the free…riding hordes of the Eastern steppes； and so
established an equestrian caste； of which the ＇Greek text＇ of Athens
and the Equites of Rome had been only hints ending in failure and
absorption。
Of that equestrian caste the symbol was the horse。 The favourite；
and therefore the chosen sacrifice of Odin； their ancestor and God；
the horse's flesh was eaten at the sacrificial meal； the horse's
head； hung on the ash in Odin's wood； gave forth oracular responses。
As Christianity came in； and the eating of horse…flesh was forbidden
as impiety by the Church； while his oracles dwindled down to such as
that which Falada's dead head gives to the goose…girl in the German
tale； the magic power of the horse figured only in ballads and
legends： but his real power remained。
The art of riding became an hereditary and exclusive scienceat
last a pedantry； hampered by absurd etiquettes； and worse than
useless traditions； but the power and right to ride remained on the
whole the mark of the dominant caste。 Terribly did they often abuse
that special power。 The faculty of making a horse carry him no more
makes a man a good man； than the faculties of making money； making
speeches； making books； or making a noise about public abuses。 And
of all ruffians； the worst； if history is to be trusted； is the
ruffian on a horse； to whose brutality of mind is superadded the
brute power of his beast。 A ruffian on a horsewhat is there that
he will not ride over； and ride on； careless and proud of his own
shame？ When the ancient chivalry of France descended to that level；
or rather delegated their functions to mercenaries of that level
when the knightly hosts who fought before Jerusalem allowed
themselves to be superseded by the dragoons and dragonnades of Louis
XIV。then the end of the French chiv