THE ADVENTURES OF A GENTLEMAN, ETC. 165 



demanded. In prosecuting this object, it has been 

 necessary to explain all the artifices to which 

 knavish dealers have recourse ; not that any indi- 

 vidual will find himself exposed to all these tricks, 

 but he must learn them all, to guard against 

 being victimized by any one of them ; and though 

 it is almost absurd to repeat the cases in which 

 every day's police report presents to our eyes, yet 

 if the tricks of horse chanters were generally known 

 and understood, we should not find such frequent 

 sufferers by their frauds. Some of these tricks I have 

 already mentioned ; but there is one which, however 

 common its occurrence, cannot be too often described. 



" Timid old gentlemen," or dandy young ones, 

 are the legitimate prey of all horse chanters. 



" A neat little cob, equal to any weight, that 

 never stumbles nor shies," meets the eye of some 

 " timid old gentleman," and " a liberal trial" being 

 allowed, he purchases. This is all very well ; but 

 how is the trial to be made with security to all 

 parties? The advertiser is at no loss. The price 

 asked is forty guineas ; " the gentleman may de- 

 posit half the price, and ride the horse where he 

 pleases." Such a proposal seems fair enough in all 

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