THE ADVENTURES OF A GENTLEMAN, ETC. 399 



This is now so perfectly understood, that I must as- 

 sume that my reader, whatever may be his class, will 

 cheat if he can ; but it is my duty to inform him that 

 he cannot go very far with impunity, and if he ac- 

 cepts the definition that I have given of unsoundness, 

 namely, any infirmity or defect that incapacitates a 

 horse for fair and reasonable exertion in the labour 

 for which he is avowedly purchased, he will readily 

 perceive that his power of cheating is circumscribed 

 by very narrow limits. In fact the gentleman-dealer 

 is in a far worse situation to practise successful fraud, 

 than the professed chanter. Men who can afford to 

 keep horses for their pleasure, can also afford to pay 

 costs ! they are therefore worth the trouble of suing. 

 Moreover, I must do my " order" (as Lord Grey has 

 it) the justice to say, that though little averse to the 

 amusement of jockeying a friend, when they can 

 couple profit with a laugh at his expense, there 

 are but few among them, so far gone as to brave the 

 opinion of the public, even in a horse-cause ; or to 

 attempt to carry the day by suborning a legion of 

 perjured ostlers and stableboys. 



" How then am I to sell my horse ?" Very para- 

 doxical it may be ; but I reply, " by simply telling 



