THE HOUSE. 107 



any, from those in fashion, in the days of our third 

 or fourth grandfathers, I remember, in early days, 

 ordering a smock frock, and giving a Newmarket lad 

 a guinea to initiate me ; but in good truth, I should 

 perform very awkwardly at this time of day. It is 

 not to be learned alphabetically, but practically in 

 the stable, and thus much may suffice — the groom, 

 currycomb and brush in hand, curries the nag all 

 over, from the ear roots to his knees and hocks, then 

 brushes, and uses the whisp and rubber to lay his 

 coat perfectly smooth. High bred, delicate, and fine 

 skinned horses are particularly ticklish and skittish 

 during this operation, and I have formerly adverted 

 to the music of the ratling chains in a Newmarket 

 stable during dressing time ; the boys had then a 

 vicious habit of teaching their horses to throw out 

 behind ; and I had once a very fair chance to have 

 left a certain stable without my head, at least, with 

 only a part of it. What I am about to say of currying 

 is certainly not addressed to regular and intelligent 

 grooms ; but in ordinary stables, the currycombs are 

 sometimes so sharp, and used with so heavy a hand 

 by stable Johnny Raws, that they become instruments 

 of torture instead of pleasure and gratification as they 

 ought ever to be, rendering it impossible for the 

 animal to endure it quietly; the hard headed and 

 insensible two legged brute in the mean time, seeking 

 to enforce absolute and quiet submission by repeti- 

 tions of the severest chastisement. The master's eye, 

 which, according to the old proverb, " makes the horse 

 fat," should also be directed to the currycombs with 

 which his horse is dressed. 



