HORSES DISSENT 93 



after a sultry morning gratifying to nothing but a 

 lizard or a serpent the town hot, still, and deserted, 

 as the ruins of Pompeii we turned from the base 

 thraldom to which we had subjected ourselves, and 

 resolved to wander over the blue hills of Scotland ; 

 " for we had heard of grouse- shooting, and we longed 

 to follow in the field some lusty heath-cock" It was 

 Wednesday. On Friday we would depart, that 

 was certain ; for we were young and ardent. Our 

 travelling means were not very rich : they consisted 

 of a curricle with one horse (his companion having 

 died lately), and a tilbury without any. But the 

 next day there was to be a sale at Tattersall's, which 

 all juveniles delight in ; so away we went to the 

 hammer, rejoicing in our soi disant judgment, and 

 purchased two animals most indubitably of the 

 horse species. My friend accommodated himself 

 with a chestnut, I with a mottled grey ; and it 

 would be difficult to say which of the two had the 

 best bargain. 



Now it chanced that these two nags never had 

 harness on their backs from the time of their foal- 

 hood ; but this did not interest us in the least : 

 they had it on soon at all events, all at the door of 

 Thomas's Hotel, Berkeley Square. The chestnut 

 shone as off-horse in the curricle, the grey was 

 resplendent in the tilbury. As for the start, I can- 

 not boast much of that kicks, plunges, rearings 

 to match. There was evidently some misunder- 

 standing. My fellow-traveller, wheeling round in 

 spite of " curb or rein/' passed me in an opposite 

 direction. My thoughts were intent on Davies 



