# XIII explained — Lavengro

> Chapter companion for Lavengro by George Borrow.

## What happens

The narrator reflects on the relationship between philology and horsemanship, recounting his first ride on a dangerous Irish cob. After a groom persuades him to mount the horse, the narrator overcomes his fear and experiences a transformative ride around the Devil's Hill, which instills in him a lifelong passion for horses. He contrasts the noble pursuit of language with the mere collection of words, arguing that his love of horses has kept his philological studies grounded.

## Themes in this chapter

### Philology and Learning

The narrator contrasts genuine philological understanding with mere word-culling, arguing that language study should be grounded in broader experience.

### Adventure and Roving

The narrator's first ride on the cob is depicted as a liberating adventure, marking an epoch in his life and awakening a passion for horses.

## Character check-ins

### Lavengro

The narrator reflects on his early philological pursuits and describes his transformative first ride on a dangerous Irish cob.

## Key lines

> I cannot help thinking that it was fortunate for myself, who am, to a certain extent, a philologist, that with me the pursuit of languages has been always modified by the love of horses; for scarcely had I turned my mind to the former, when I also mounted the wild cob, and hurried forth in the direction of the Devil's Hill, scattering dust and flint-stones on every side;

The narrator believes it was lucky that his interest in languages was balanced by his love of horses, because as soon as he began studying words, he also started riding a wild horse toward the Devil's Hill.

_This passage introduces the central contrast between intellectual and physical pursuits._

> Oh, that ride! that first ride!—most truly it was an epoch in my existence; and I still look back to it with feelings of longing and regret.

The narrator recalls his first ride as a defining moment in his life, one he remembers with both nostalgia and wistfulness.

_This emphasizes the transformative impact of the riding experience._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/lavengro_se/chapters/xiii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/lavengro_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/lavengro_se/chapters