XXVil 



reputation was gone for ever. I had no alternative 

 though my fate was written before my eyes ; five 

 times did I bestride the brute, and five times I 

 measured my length on the green sod, to the infinite 

 delight of every being present but myself! I had 

 the satisfaction certainly of seeing the mischievous 

 owner equally foiled, but as he did not even fracture 

 a rib, it was after all but a poor revenge. I solemnly 

 protest against my horsemanship being subjected to 

 any more of these painful ordeals. I beg it to be 

 understood by my private friends that I am neither 

 a horse-breaker, nor a steeple-chacer; but simply 

 a quiet man, riding for my own amusement, and 

 perfectly sensible of the value of my own neck ; 

 unless perchance a pack of hounds should cross 

 my path, and then I must do as other fools do. 



Since the publication of my remarks on the 

 subject of warranty, I have been favoured with 

 many suggestions upon that important subject, to 

 which I should have been glad to give publicity, 

 had I not in every instance been satisfied on re- 

 flection of their impracticability. A friend of mine 

 of great talent, was, a few years since, private 

 secretary to the Chancellor of the Exchequer. He 

 assured me that nearly half his time was occupied 

 in acknowledging the receipt of profound schemes 

 from volunteer statesmen for the discharge of the 



