OBSERVATIONS. 15 



whatever can be supposed adequate to such 

 task at an earlier age than rising six years. 



To the very necessary conviction of ao;e 

 should follow a most minute and attentive 

 inspection, or rather strict examination, of 

 those points constituting the distinction be- 

 tween imperfections, hlew/ishes, and defects : in 

 general doubtfully implied, and not always 

 perfectly understood, by the common assur- 

 ance of " Sound wind and limb/' To ascer- 

 tain the veracity of which technical phraseo^ 

 logy, much nicety of discrimination apper- 

 tains. 



AmongvSt sportsmen (who are justly entitled 

 to the appellation of gentlemen, and possess 

 a high and proper sense of honour and the 

 principles of equity) the general acceptation 

 of the word " souncV has ever been, and still is ^ 

 intended to convey an honourable, unequivocal 

 assurance of the perfect state of both the 

 frame and bodily health of the subject, with- 

 out exception or ambiguity. It is meant to 

 imply the total absence of Ijlemishes as well 

 as defects (unless particularly pointed out 

 and explained) ; and is really intended to 

 confirm a bona fide declaration of the horse's 



