Experience  has  taught  us  that  the  wild  colt  of  three
or  four  years  old,  untouched  till  then,  is  always  more
tractable  and  more  easily  broken.  The  beauty  and
disposition   of   the   colonial  bred  horse,   unspoilt   by


SOCIAL   CONDITION.  287

pampering  and  too  early  handlings  were  bo  much  admired,
that  riding  became  the  fashionable  pastime  of  both
ladies  and  gentlemen;  either  of  whom  were  such  prac-
tised equestrians  as  to  deem  a  ride  of  forty  or  fifty
miles,  in  the  light  of  an  agreeable  canter ;  particularly
with  the  prospective  charm  of  a  grand  reunion  before
them.  Of  such  facts  I  can  speak  practically,  since
one-eighth  of  my  time  was  spent  on  horseback.  So
much  for  quadrupeds ;  let  us  now  resume  our  account.
Speaking  of  balls,  pic-nics,  and  such  sociable  meet-
ings as  require  an  equality  in  rank  and  numbers  of
both  sexes  to  establish  a  success,  it  was  much  to  be
regretted,  and  formed  a  great  drawback  to  the  legiti-
mate and  healthy  progress  of  the  colony,  that  there
was,  unfortunately,  a  considerable  preponderance  of
the  male  population.  Up  to  the  year  1830,  for  every
available  bright-eyed  and  loveable  spinster,  there  were
at  least  four  eligible,  sighing,  and  willing  bachelors,
whose  future  welfare,  could  they  but  have  secured  to
themselves  virtuous  and  sensible  wives,  would  in  all
human  probability,  in  those  pristine  days,  have  been
replete  with  happiness  and  certain  prosperity;  and,
moreover,  would  have  induced,  in  the  men  generally,
a  moral  and  useful  course  of  life.
