220 



and when taken away, each selects those which 

 happen to be most suitable to his wants, and the 

 aggregate price of the lot is equitably divided 

 among them, according to their own estimate of 

 their value. Thus, had the poor tailor been led to 

 suspect his mare's blindness, by her running full 

 tilt against the stand, and then given up his bid- 

 dings, the jobber who would have bought her at 

 the next lowest bidding of nineteen guineas, would 

 have had half the price distributed among six or 

 eight of his brother dealers, when afterwards 

 settling the average of their respective purchases. 

 The impossibility of buying fairly, in the teeth of 

 such combination, is obvious ; nor would it much 

 mend the matter, to employ one of these men as 

 an agent : the chances are twenty to one that hh 

 opinion of a good horse would be far less fastidious 

 than yours ; and to secure his fee, he would assu- 

 redly recommend some one in the sale : were it 

 otherwise, he would run no better chance than a 

 stranger, if his object were discovered, and to con- 

 ceal it would be difficult. 



Whether at a horse sale, or any other, set it down 

 as a maxim, that an auctioneer cannot do otherwise 

 than lie : " 'Tis my vocation, Hal." 



