154 ON PURCHASE AND SALE. 



fummate judgment acknowledge themfelves 

 much deceived by truiling entirely to the 

 fhew. 



Much obloquy has, in all periods, fallen 

 upon dealers in horfes, who have been gene- 

 rally fuppofed nfore prone to trick and decep- 

 tion than any other clafs of traders ; but this 

 ariles perhaps chiefly from the precarious na- 

 ture of the commodity in wdiich they deal, and 

 am.ongft a number of fhabby and tricking fel- 

 lows (which indeed are to be found in all 

 trades) there are no doubt many fair and ho- 

 nourable men in this. Their m.ethod of pre- 

 paring and decking out their goods for fale, 

 has always been vehemently decried as direflly 

 calculated for the purpofes of deception f this 

 is only in part true, that is, as far as the 

 manceuvres are intended to conceal unfound- 

 nefs ; as no reafonable objeftion can pcfTibly 

 be againfl; their endeavours to fet their horfes 

 off to the beft advantage. The grand com- 

 plaint is on the behalf of humanity, the laws 

 of which, upon thofe occafions, are always out- 

 raged, wherefore a change of meafures would 

 be a defirable event, and this is evidently in 

 the power of the buyers. Property, would it 

 ftake off its indolence and apathy, or w^ould it 

 be as fedulous to cherifli, as it ever has been 

 to opprefs, might work miracles of reforma- 

 tion. 



I allude 



