no OCCASIONAL HAPPY THOUGHTS. 



after all, if you are mounted at all, you may as well be 

 mounted in first-rate style. Still I admit, that for the 

 country, I do not want a hack intended only for the Park. 

 Again, I do want something that I can both ride and drive. 

 Now, evidently, one couldn't appear in the Park one day 

 driving, and next day riding, but always the same horse. 

 Besides, it would necessitate a Park carriage, and a Park 

 groom. Now all these I would have (that is, I do want 

 them) if I could afford them. But I can't. Therefore, when 

 a stranger, like this Equestrian Visitor, who can only judge 

 of my means by the house, and by my Aunt's appearance 

 and mine, tells me that I don't want a Park hack, but some- 

 thing to do " double work," and a really useful (not in any 

 way ornamental) animal, it is as if he had impertinently 

 said, " You're a poor devil, with only an eighth of my income, 

 and you can't show up in the Park, or go about in the season ; 

 so you'd better have an old rattletrap and a strong pony to 

 jog about the country with, and save the expense of flys, 

 and, in a general way, avoid London altogether, which is 

 much too swellish and fashionable for your limited means, 

 my boy." That's how I translate Jiis remarks ; and I set 

 him down as a Snob. The sooner he gets on his own showy 

 horse, and leaves this, the better I shall be pleased ; and, 

 what is more, I never want to see him, nor any of his, 

 again. 



Old Doddridge actually comes out, suddenly, as a judge of 

 horseflesh. She sniffs, smiles, fiddles with the corner of her 

 apron, and curtseying to no one in particular (though if to 

 anybody, it must be to the cob, as she is standing at a 



