292 ZACHARIAH SIMPSON, ESQ. 



auction, year after year. I once bought forty-five of 

 him at one deal at 40 each, jointly with Mr. Padwick, 

 who, as I have related, repudiated the purchase. These 

 I took to Alvediston by special train of fifteen horse- 

 boxes, where they all arrived safely without the least 

 accident of any kind happening to any one of them. 

 After some little time I had them sold there, and had a 

 very good sale ; so on the whole I had no cause to regret 

 my bargain. 



Besides this expensive, extensive, and ill-regulated 

 establishment he kept a pack of harriers and a large 

 stable of high-priced hunters, which he seldom if ever 

 rode. Moreover, he was fond of shooting, and shot well. 

 Indeed, this was the only sport I ever saw him take any 

 delight in. He always rented one good manor, and 

 sometimes two, besides having one of his own, all well 

 stocked with game, and strictly preserved. He kept also 

 a kennel of greyhounds ; but I never heard of his seeing 

 a course that amusement was left for those who had 

 the care of them. 



To this long list of expensive amusements must be 

 added others that were costly in the extreme ; and not 

 the least was his fondness for horse dealing or coping. 

 He would give for a hunter 200 or 300, keep him for 

 a year or two without riding him, and then sell him back, 

 with two or three more of the same value, for about half 

 the price he had given for the one, if he had but a 

 chopper thrown in ; for which purpose the dealer, 

 knowing his man, generally had ' the very animal on the 

 spot that would suit him above all others.' He was also 

 fond of trotting and other ponies, and mostly had a few 

 kept in the stable to look at. For these he would give 

 large sums, and when tired of seeing them, they would 

 be got rid of in the same way as his hunters, only to 



