C4 THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER. 



might White, in his " Natural History of Selbourne," 

 remark, that " interest makes strange friendships." 



With respect to the proper mode of administering 

 punishment in these cases, we will adduce another 

 example from Mr. Elaine : " At Harlow Bush Fair 

 we were struck with the appearance of a likely nag ; 

 but as we saw our salesman was evidently one of a 

 suspicious order, we squared our expectations accord- 

 ingly ; and after having cheapened the nag to a very 

 l6w price, considering his figure, we bought him, 

 after such a trial as this sort of places afford, and this 

 sort of persons allow. On the next day we mounted 

 our purchase, and proceeded five or six miles on the 

 Hertfordshire road, the horse performing well in all 

 his paces, riding to a good mouth, and being appa- 

 rently as tractable as one could wish. We were, how- 

 6ver, still aware, that either he must have been stolen, 

 or that, according to stable slang, * a screw was 

 loose' somewhere, which would soon jingle, and a 

 turnpike-gate was to unfold the secret ; for this gate 

 he would not go through, not from any fear of the 

 gate itself, but from mere restiveness. We battled it 

 with him for some time, but it was to no purpose, and 

 we were too well acquainted with horses to push 

 matters to extremities ; for even had we forced him 

 through at this time, he would, without doubt, have 



