178 THE ADVENTURES OP A GENTLEMAN 



If unsound, Mr. Sewell will give a certificate of 

 the fact, and also of the seat of the disease. Of this 

 certificate it is expedient to keep an examined copy, 

 and then send the original to the dealer. The ser- 

 vant who received it from Mr. Sewell, should be the 

 person to examine and mark the copy, and also to 

 deliver the original, or at least produce it to the 

 dealer ; as it will be necessary on the trial of the ac- 

 tion, to have his evidence to show fair play and open 

 dealing to the satisfaction of the jury. Nothing tells 

 more with a jury than candid, open behavior, espe- 

 cially in actions upon horse-warranties. . 



I have already intimated the importance of tracing 

 the past history of the horse, to ascertain whether 

 the unsoundness is of old standing. It will often be 

 found, when this can be done, that the dealer himself 

 bought without a warranty. Indeed the question 

 should always be put to him whether he did or not. 

 His refusal to answer it, or to produce the warranty, 

 will tell as much against him as the admission that 

 he took none ; but then he should be interrogated by 

 a third party, who can, if necessary, be put in the 

 witness-box. 



The next material point is to make a chronologi- 



