PUECHASIIfG.] 



THE PIOESE, AXD 



[PUECHASING. 



lu London, and in most great towns, there I horses ; and that important advantage con- 

 are repositories for the periodical sale of horses tinned undiminished to his successors. I first 



by auction. They are of great convenience to 

 the seller, who can, at once, get rid of an animal 

 with which he wishes to part, without waitiiig 

 nonth after month before he obtains a pur- 

 chaser, and is thus relieved from the nuisance 

 or fear of having the horse returned on account 

 of breach of the warranty, because in these 

 places only two days are allowed for the trial ; 

 and, if he is not returned within that period, 

 he cannot be afterwards returned. They are 

 also convenient to the purchaser, who can thus 

 in a large town soon find a horse that will suit 

 him, and which, from this restriction as to 

 returning the animal, he will obtain twenty or 

 thirty per cent, below the prices of the dealer. 

 Although an auction may seem to ofier a fair 

 and open competition, there is no place at 

 which it is more necessary for a person not 

 much acquainted with horses, to take with him 

 an experienced friend, and, when there, to 

 depend on his own judgment or that of his 

 friend, heedless of the observations or ma- 

 no3uvre3 of bystanders, the exaggerated com- 

 mendations bestowed upon some horses, and the 

 thousand faults found with others. There are 

 always numerous groups of low dealex's, copers, 

 and chaunters, whose business it is to delude 

 and deceive. 



In speaking of the convenience and useful- 

 ness of the London horse repositories, Mr. 

 John Lawrence says : — 



"It was perhaps about the year 1740, or 

 somewhat later, that Beavor, supposed to have 

 first introduced the plan of sale in this mode, 

 opened the horse repository in Little Saint 

 Martin's Lane, London. He was succeeded by 

 Aldridge, father of Mr. Aldridge, who retired, 

 parting with the concern to Mr. Morris. 

 Tattersall's repository at Hyde Park Corner, 

 was opened about the year 1760, by Mr. 

 Tattersall, who had previously resided at 

 "Worcester, and was proprietor of the stallion, 

 Young Traveller. He was also engaged awhile 

 in London, with Beavor. After the then 

 Duke of Cumberland's decease, his stud was 

 sold at Tattersall's in 1765. Old Tat, as he 

 was, in due time, familiarly called, was so for- 

 tunate at his very outset, as to obtain the 

 countenance and patronage of persons of the 

 highest distinction, who took an interest in 

 166 



knew old liv. Tattersall, in 1773. He was a 

 shrewd, assiduous, and observant man, precisely 

 one of those qualified by nature to be faher 

 forhmce, the maker of liis own fortune; and he 

 aciiieved it, becoming the founder of an opulent 

 and respectable house." 



We shall now endeavour to put the unwary 

 on their guard against the nefarious and cheat- 

 ing practices of what are called Horse-clmunters. 

 There is scarcely a provincial newspaper pub- 

 lished in which some of these individuals do 

 not figure, either as advertisers, or before the 

 magistrates in some equivocal transaction. The 

 horse seems a conductor to all sorts of villany. 

 He is himself the object of great cruelties, and 

 is surrounded by the most heartless of man- 

 kind. There is no article of commerce carried 

 on in which a man has more right to have his 

 suspicions excited than in horse-dealing. If a 

 man goes to a repository, it would almost be 

 the next thing to a miracle if there was not a 

 cliaunter to oppose him. He runs up the price 

 to the inarTc, gives the horse a good character, 

 and expresses his high admiration of his great 

 qualities. The same was wont to be done to 

 a large extent in Smithfield, as well as in 

 places of private bargain, where the cliaunter 

 Vv'ould approach, and make an open, though 

 fallacious offer, bidding very near the price 

 asked. 



There is another swindling method practised 

 among farmers' servants, or countrymen who 

 are not likely to know much about country 

 notes. They are what are called liberal pur- 

 cliasers, and pay what is asked ; but pay in 

 worthless money. In this case the country- 

 man is so pleased with tlie liberality of his 

 customer, that he is disarmed of all suspicion ; 

 and like the stranger in London, he is deprived 

 of his horse as the other is of his money by 

 such kind, friendly fellows, that do not know 

 what to do with him or for him, until they de- 

 spoil him of all the cash he has got. 



Some time ago, an instance of doing a coun- 

 tryman occurred in Somersetshire. A farmer 

 sent his man to Staftbrddale Fair, to sell a 

 horse, which he speedily did for £24, being 

 the price he asked. Elated with his success, 

 he returned in great good humour with him- 

 self, and laid the money on the table before 



