PURCHASE OF PALMISTRY. 133 



forgetting that " like begets like." A condition worthy of note 

 in Sir Tatton's sale was the total absence of the fillies. These 

 were kept to breed from ; and those not good enough for 

 that purpose were disposed of for hacks. His colts had 

 always a reserve of 100 guineas placed on them. But if they 

 returned to Sledmcre unsold, no reasonable offer was ever 

 refused. St. Giles, Greyling, and Companion, were bought of 

 him in this way at sixty guineas each after returning from the 

 sale at York. All were winners : the former perhaps one of 

 the best horses of his day over a distance of ground, as he 

 was most certainly the finest. 



Sir Tatton professed never to sell brood mares ; nor, as 

 I before said, yearling fillies. But he was always exceed- 

 ingly kind to me, and sold me three brood mares with 

 their foals, all the mares being served again by Andover, 

 for 300 guineas. One of the foals, as a yearling, I sold for 

 500 guineas. The mares I thus bought were Palmistry, the 

 dam of St. Giles, and two young marcs out of her dam ; and 

 when Sir Tatton told Snarry, his old stud-groom, of the sale, 

 the latter said, " Sir Tatton, you have sold one of the best 

 mares you have." " Never mind, Snarry," Sir Tatton 

 answered, " Mr. Day is a good customer, and I would rather 

 sell and repent, than keep and repent." 



On this memorable occasion I asked him another favour, 

 which he also readily granted. It was to sell me a foal. I 

 was commissioned by the late Lord Ribblesdale to give 300 

 guineas for Brother to Centurion, if I liked him. I did, and 

 bought him for twenty-five guineas ; which the generous old 

 Baronet begged me to give to my uncle Samuel with his 

 compliments ; which was done. 



In concluding my remarks on the yearlings bred at 

 Sledmcre, I may say that Sir Tatton was hospitable to a. 



