14 



dam retailer of ribbands — even that exaltation 

 of thy hammer that thou hast requested : then 

 would the glory of thy abilities be manifested 

 like a red-hot shoe, yea Wight as the virtues of 

 thy own thin-heeled shoe. 



But, to proceed: the advocates for Captain 

 Blagrave's mode of treating the foot of the horse 

 are convinced of its utility, from its being prac- 

 tised on their own cattle; but it is not in the 

 power of the god of eloquence himself to con- 

 vince even your most partial friend, and that 

 upon the most general and loose principles, that 

 yours has succeeded in any one instance. 



And so, this vender of ribbands had a diploma 

 from the Veterinary College ! Now, really, a 

 diploma granted on the strength of one year's 

 study, and to a man whose youth had been spent 

 in handling the scissars and the yard-wand, puts 

 one in mind of the degrees formerly disposed of 

 by the elders of a certain celebrated northern 

 university, from whom interest or money might 

 proenre the highest scholastic honors without 

 considering who was dubbed doctor — 'till a wag 

 having actually succeeded in procuring the de- 

 gree of Master of Arts for his valet, put a stop 

 to the practice. I am far from imputing wilful 

 indifference either to those who granted his di- 

 ploma, or gave him a regiment of cavalry to su- 

 perintend, being well aware whose recommenda- 

 tion it was they trusted implicitly to. It was 



