THE ADVENTURES OF A GENTLEMAN, ETC. 231 



remorse. Auctions ought to have been put down at 

 the same time "with lotteries; at all events, three 

 purchases should qualify a man for Bedlam, without 

 the aid of a commission of lunacy. I never but once 

 bought at an auction without being cheated, and that 

 only happened because the interest sold was of a 

 nature so complicated and unusual, that not a man 

 in the room comprehended its real value. 



There is, however, an essential difference between 

 horse-auctions and all others ; it is not only the case, 

 as I have elsewhere observed, that no animals are 

 sent to them but such as it is morally impossible to 

 sell elsewhere, but nineteen out of twenty of the 

 buyers are hio graphic ally acquainted with the quad- 

 rupeds. Though horses of all descriptions are at 

 times sold at every horse-auction in the metropolis, 

 each yard has its peculiar trade. Sporting horses, 

 whether for the field or turf, are the staple commo- 

 dity at Tattersall's. Machiners, as they are called, 

 that is, post-horses, or stage-horses, are generally 

 found at Dixon's or Robinson's. Morris's, better 

 known as Aldridge's,* is well supplied with trades- 



* This establishment has been transferred to Mr. Young of the 

 Bazaar. 



