260 THE ADVENTURES OF A GENTLEMAN 



traveller in the book of the purchaser, and in his 

 presence, and by his desire, did not constitute a 

 memorandum in writing within the statute, the tra- 

 veller not being the agent of both parties. 



There is only one topic remaining connected with 

 the original making of the contract, to which I pro- 

 pose to allude. 



It is much to be regretted that in the case of 

 horse-dealing, more perhaps than in any other of the 

 ordinary transactions of life, the decorum of the Sab- 

 bath is violated ; and I must acknowledge with sor- 

 row, that I have too often been personally a witness 

 to the fact. The purchase of a horse is as often con- 

 sidered a matter of amusement, as one of business ; 

 and Sunday being an idle day, when young men are 

 generally on the look-out for amusement, a lounge in 

 a dealer's stables is a common resource : this may be 

 noticed particularly at Tattersall's ; the horses, it is 

 true, are not shown upon that day, not even in the 

 stables, till after divine service; but about two or 

 three o'clock the place is frequented by a great many 

 people, with a view to prepare themselves for the 

 auction on Monday. In a minor degree, the same 

 custom obtains in the dealer's yard, especially at the 



