14 THE ADVENTURES OF A GENTLEMAN 



focus of roads and confusion, Battle-bridge, whether 

 it was that he knew not which course to take, I can- 

 not say, but he paused in his full career so abruptly, 

 that I found myself upon his neck, instead of his 

 back, and had he advanced another yard I should 

 undoubtedly have found my own back on the ground. 

 I decided on my course at once — I walked him to 

 the Veterinary College ; ascertained that his wind 

 was as thick as his carcase, and sold him at Osborn's 

 the next day to "a timid old gentleman," for whom 

 he was "exactly suited." 



My third attempt was somewhat more promising. 

 A very respectable stable-keeper, with whom I had 

 had former transactions, introduced me to an old 

 hunter of his acquaintance. I must own that I en- 

 tertain great distrust of your hunters converted into 

 hacks ! but the introduction was good ; the horse was 

 gay ; and the tout ensemble favorable ; he had but 

 one fault, so far as a day's trial could discover. He 

 would neither pass nor be passed, either by stage, 

 omnibus, or hackney-coach L a matter of not the 

 slightest consequence in Leicestershire ; but rather 

 inconvenient in Oxford street. 



I was speedily remounted ; nothing is more easy 



