ADVICE. 55 



ridden by a light weight of seven or eight stone : 

 and if he was by nature always so, why, then of 

 course, it is incurable. When the eyes are dim, 

 or cataracts forming : " Oh ! that's only from the 

 heat of the stables." When the legs are injured, 

 and the back sinews all bowed : " Oh ! that 's only 

 from the heel-ropes, or a tent-peg f just as if it 

 made any difference to the purchaser whether the 

 eyesight was injured by tlie heat of the stables 

 or a pitchfork ; or the legs ruined by a tent-peg, 

 or a sledge-hammer. Again, if a colt is produced 

 that is badly formed: " Oh ! he 's only a colt, he '11 

 alter in another year." To be sure, all colts alter, 

 but if he is well-formed at three years old, he will 

 be well-formed at twenty ; and if badly formed, 

 and want of due proportion at three years old, 

 he will be the same as long as he lives. Now, 

 unless you have been educated at Doncaster, or 

 dubbed yourself a judge, self-constituted, as I 

 have done, I strongly recommend, especially if 

 you are a New Arrival, and have any regard for 

 " your order,'' (letter of credit, I mean,) to ask 

 some friend to accompany you in your rambles 

 through these stables. Should you purchase from 

 " gentlemen judges," the only chance of escape 

 you have, is candidly to confess that you are only 

 in the elementary instructions of the " Griffin's 

 Aid-de-Camp," and then it would be ungenerous 



