122 BITS AND BITTING. 



to the usual practice of quacks and nostrum-mongers. 

 This, however, was very carefully avoided; the object 

 of the book being in great measure to induce horse 

 owners to think for themselves on this subject. But 

 the business brigandage which is so rampant amongst 

 us nowadays got hold of the matter, and the author 

 found to his great disgust and annoyance that a London 

 saddler had advertised, and was selling in great numbers, 

 under the name of "Major Dwyer's Bridles," simply the 

 commonest clumsy pony-bits that can be imagined, all 

 of one pattern, and nearly, if not altogether, the same 

 size, consequently anything but universally applicable. 

 The name of a nobleman having been used for the 

 purpose of getting up this smart stroke of business, the 

 public was, as usual, gulled, with which the author has 

 nothing to do ; but he has a right to protest against 

 such a use being made of his name, because he certainly 

 never represented that any one shape or dimension of 

 bit is universally applicable, but on the contrary always 

 insisted, and still insists, that each individual animal 

 ought to be provided with a bit that suits the dimensions 

 of its mouth, &c. 



