236 THE ADVENTURES OF A GENTLEMAN 



tation of professional familiarity in the field, is no 

 security against a place at the second table in 

 Grosvenor Square ; and the consciousness of this, 

 gives these indispensable patrons of horseflesh a sort 

 of mock importance, on the strength of which they 

 court the gay, quiz the stranger, and rule the canaille. 

 These men, too, have the peculiar traits of their 

 calling ; roguery and humor contend for mastery in 

 their faces. The quick, yet wandering eye, the ele- 

 vation of one angle of the mouth, not quite neutral- 

 ized by the depression of the other ; the half-raised 

 eyebrow, and slightly protruding tongue, well set off 

 by a gentle inclination of the head to catch a reluc- 

 tant bidding, stamp the successful horse-auctioneer, 

 so that you might recognize him among ten thou- 

 sand. Add a complexion half-bronzed by weather, 

 but glowing with habitual carousing, and the portrait 

 is complete. Wine or spirits will produce the jovial 

 tint, according to the caste of his daily customers. 



These I have already described ; I write only for 

 accidental buyers, and one instance will suffice to put 

 them on their guard. 



My compassion was much excited, the other day, 

 on witnessing the fate of a young tradesman, appa- 



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