IN SEARCH OF A HORSE. 33 



easily explained; "the gentleman" was gone to Mel- 

 ton or Newmarket instead of Tattersall's — but the 

 mare went there : was certainly " as well known" as 

 I could wish ; it was the only word of truth the fel- 

 low had spoken. She had slipped her hip in foal- 

 ing, and had been sold three times in three months, 

 at an average price of ten pounds ! I lost only 

 twenty by her, and thought myself a lucky dog. 



I had not yet had enough of "gentlemen!" A 

 chestnut horse was advertised for sale at some livery 

 stables of the first respectability. He was ''bond 

 fide the property of a gentleman, but too high-cour- 

 aged for his riding, and parted with for no fault." 

 The advertisement ended here, and the absence of all 

 the usual encomiums persuaded me that the descrip- 

 tion was true. My eye does not often deceive me as 

 to the external pretensions of a horse : the animal in 

 question was beautiful, and his action good. I in- 

 spected and handled him minutely ; I picked up 

 every foot, passed my hand down every leg, and 

 found neither fault nor blemish. I mounted him, 

 and rode him for an hour. I was satisfied, and 

 bought him, taking care this time to obtain my war- 

 ranty myself. For two whole days he did justice to 

 4 



