14 THE POCKET AND THE STUD. 



get the purchase off without loss, all that will be 

 thought is, that it was no more than his absolute 

 duty to do so. If any loss accrues, it will pro- 

 bably be delicately insinuated, that had the friend 

 purchased on his own judgment this would not 

 have happened : though it may be perfectly well 

 known that he never made a purchase in his life by 

 which he did not lose. But then, of course, that all 

 arose from ill-luck, not from want of judgment 

 for this is a want to which very few are subject, 

 when judging themselves ; though their thinking 

 so is the best possible proof that they do labour 

 under such deficiency. 



Notwithstanding these stumbling-blocks in the 

 way of obliging another, no man of good feeling 

 or good-nature would, where his judgment was 

 properly appreciated, refuse to purchase for a 

 friend, if, from any circumstance, his doing so 

 would render a service; but, then, purchasing 

 for a friend is quite a different thing to playing 

 jackal and starting the game for Mr. Lion to 

 select from, or forking out the chesnuts to save 

 Mr. Pug the risk or trouble of doing it himself. 

 To be requested by a friend to look at a horse 

 lie has found, is a compliment ; to be sent to find 

 one for the friend to look at is diametrically the 

 reverse. 



Now, if a lady flattered me by a commission to 

 find her a horse, the case would be widely different 



