XI 



wife, or sister, and with the tenderness of tone one 

 naturally adopts on addressing an unexpected 

 mourner, was beginning to express condolence, at 

 the same time that I declined intrusion at such a 

 melancholy moment. 



" No nonsense, I beg of you, my dear fellow, for 

 there is no time to lose. You must come, or the 

 dealer will swear I killed her !" 



His mare, just purchased, was dying of the 

 colic, and my judgment, not my sympathy, was 

 required ! 



So on another occasion, a settlement for w^ant 

 of which two hearts were all but breaking, was 

 cruelly interrupted to discuss the symptoms of a 

 broken wind ! while times out of number have I 

 been dragged from one end of London to the other, 

 to criticise a doubtful eye, or a suspected leg, or 

 what is worst of all, to act as umpire between a 

 disappointed buyer and an angry dealer. I 

 owe therefore but little to my friends ; but in dis- 

 claiming the debt, I entreat them not to misunder- 

 stand me. I grudge not these kind oflSces — on the 

 contrary, when time and weather are convenient, 

 I like the amusement; but I affect no modesty 

 when I hint to some among them, that Mr. Sewell 

 or Mr. Field will charge but half-a-guinea for an 

 opinion worth a hundred such as mine, and more- 



