IN SEARCH OF A HORSE. 17 



fairly bolted; running "at score" to his stables 

 again ! I would as soon fondle a mad dog as take 

 such another dance with a dandy ! 



However men may differ as to her doctrines, we 

 all approve of Miss Martineau's synthetical method 

 of reasoning; I shall with all humilily, follow her 

 example. I conclude my first chapter (it might well 

 be called the chapter of accidents) by advising my 

 reader before he starts on a similar expedition, to 

 ask himself seriously the question, what sort of a 

 horse he wants ? It is a curious, though an un- 

 doubted truth, that not one man in fifty ever thinks 

 of taking this ordinary precaution. Of course, I do 

 not include professed sportsmen, whether in the field 

 or on the turf : they generally " understand their 

 business," and set to work accordingly ; but there 

 are some hundreds, perhaps thousands, who at the 

 approach of summer must needs buy a horse, and, 

 like myself, consider it much the same thing as 

 buying a boot-jack ! 



To answer this question properly, there are many 

 points to be considered : the first essential is for a 

 man to inform himself honestly^ whether he is a good 

 or bad rider. Sir Walter Scott, with his usual 



