Morse-dealers^ Double Ways. 29 



and told me ''to paste it in my hat." It 

 is a description of a horse-dealer, and conveys 

 some good advice : 



" A horse-dealer is a double dealer, for he dealeth 

 more in double-dealings than your punster. When he 

 giveth his word, it signifieth little, howbeit it standeth 

 for two significations. He putteth his promises, like his 

 colts, in 'a break.' Over his mouth, truth, like the 

 turnpike-man, write th up ' No trust.' Wherever he 

 speaketh, his ' spoke ' hath more than the forewheel. 

 He telleth lies, not only white, or black, but likewise 

 grey, bay, chestnut-brown, cream and roan, piebald and 

 skewbald. He sweareth as many oaths out of court as 

 any man, and more in, for he will swear two ways about 

 a horse's 'dam.' If, by grace, he be something honest, 

 it is only a dapple; for he can be 'fair and unfair' 

 at once. He hath much imagination, for he selleth a 

 complete set of capital harness, of which there be 'no 

 traces.' A nag, proper only for dogs' meat, he writeth 

 down, but crieth up ' fit to go to any hounds ' ; or, as 

 may be, ' would suit a timid gentleman.' Stringhalt he 

 calleth ' grand action,' and kicking ' lifting the feet well 

 up.' If a mare have the farcical disease, he nameth her 

 out of comedy, and selleth Blackbird for a 'racer' 

 because he hath 'a running thrush.' Horses that drink 

 only water he justly warranteth to be ' temperate,' and 

 if dead lame, declareth them ' good in all their paces,' 

 seeing that they can go but one. Roaring he calleth 

 'sound,' and a steed that high-bloweth in running, he 

 compareth to Eclipse, for he ' outstrippeth the wind.' 

 Another might be entered at a steeplechase — for why 1 



