334 THE ADVENTURES OF A GENTLEMAN 



infirmity shows itself, dispute about his soundness is 

 sure to follow. 



I am much disposed to adopt Mr. Mayor's defini- 

 tion, modifying it only in one particular. I should 

 say, that a horse is sound, if he is not laboring under 

 such disease or infirmity, or symptoms of approach- 

 ing disease or infirmity, as incapacitate him for the 

 safe performance of all reasonable work, of the cha- 

 racter for which he is avowedly purchased. If a 

 jury is satisfied that any defect or disease existed at 

 the sale, or any symptom of approaching infirmity or 

 disease, that would incapacitate him for his atjcus- 

 tomed labor, their verdict should be unsoundness. 



Mr. Sewell, who has added largely to the obliga- 

 tions which I have already expressed to him in my 

 former editions, has suggested to me a means of pre- 

 venting litigation on the question of soundness, 

 which I think, well deserves the consideration of 

 influential men in the sporting world. It is now 

 settled in the case of blood stock, that their age 

 shall be dated from the 1st of January. This very 

 convenient arrangement has been efi*ected by the 

 influence of the Jockey Club, and is recognized in 

 courts of law. Why cannot the same authority be 



