146 ON PURCHASE AND SALE. . 



a black gelding, at a certain repofitory, warrant- 

 ed found and quiet to ride. I had my doubts 

 at the time of purchafe, on account of the fmall- 

 nefs of the fum ; fourteen guineas only, for a 

 fporting-like fon of Engineer, fix years old, and 

 able tb carry fourteen ftone up to any hounds. 

 I found him in truth found, and quiet enough 

 to ride, without a faddle; but the attempt to 

 faddle him coft the labour of four men, and 

 that at the extreme hazard of their limbs. A 

 more improper nag could fcarcely be found for 

 me, who could never ride without a faddle in 

 my life. The dealer at firft refufed to take him 

 back, on the allegation, that he did ride quiet, 

 literally according to the warrant, and that it 

 was no fault of his, if the horfe and my men fell 

 out upon fo trifling an affair as faddling ; but 

 the prevailing rhetoric of an attorney's letter 

 gave him a rule, and fbewed him caufe to alter 

 his mind. An exa611y fimilar inilance occurred 

 to a friend of mine laft vear, Who dreading the 

 law worfe than a vicious horfe, pocketed the 

 affront. 



The trial of a horfe's foundnefs ought to be 

 committed to a perfon accuflomed to horfes. 

 Our judgment, as to the goodnefs of the wind, 

 is now univerfally guided by the foundnefs of 

 the cough ; but mdependently of that criterion, 

 the preternatural heaving of the flanks in a 

 broken-winded horfe, will always be fufficiently 



apparent. 



