338 THE ADVENTURES OF A GENTLEMAN 



but yet I admit that a blemish of this nature, though 

 not attended with any lameness, justified Mr. Field 

 in advising that she was an unsound horse, according 

 to the usual acceptation of the term, had I sup- 

 pressed the fact in giving the warranty, though it 

 may perhaps be doubted whether a curb, being a 

 patent defect, comes within a warranty of unsound- 

 ness. 



It would also reduce disputes on horse warranties 

 materially, if special warranties were more frequently 

 given. Such warranties are indeed not uncommon 

 as it is. I have seen many with special exceptions, 

 as of an eye, a cough, a splent, &c. ; nor is there any 

 good reason why any infirmities of this kind, scarcely 

 affecting the price of a horse otherwise sound and 

 good, should not be openly avowed. The only reason 

 why they are studiously concealed, is that ignorant 

 buyers over-rate their importance ; but if it were 

 customary with respectable dealers to declare them, 

 it would soon be felt that they were not considered 

 of sufiicient consequence to affect the price of a 

 horse purchased bona fide for labor, and not for the 

 market. 



It might also be an express condition of every 



