236 THE GIVE-AND-TAKE PLATE. 



on the contrary, Mrs. B.'s epergne is pronounced 

 quite new, recherche, and in accordance with her gene- 

 ral good taste and judgment (Remember, Reader, 

 the three-hundred-guinea cab-horse was admired just 

 as much). Now we will suppose the two ladies, after 

 a time, wish to exchange their different purchases for 

 other articles of a newer or a different pattern : mark 

 the results. Mrs. A.'s articles cost her about Is. fid. 

 per ounce, and in round numbers we will say they 

 weighed 550 ounces : in exchanging them she would 

 probably lose 2s. an ounce, about in money 55/. Mrs. 

 B.'s beautiful epergne, which perhaps weighed 100 

 ounces, is not an object of common demand like 

 spoons and forks ; therefore, had it weighed the same, 

 would not be worth as much : but it was in no way 

 sold by weight, and all its beautiful and elaborate 

 workmanship tells for nothing ; so this article loses, 

 first at least 121. on its weight of 100 ounces, and the 

 actual value of it as old silver is about 25/. Assur- 

 edly this is really worse than horse-dealing, and the 

 loss arises from precisely the same cause. 300/. was 

 too much to give to please the fancy- for the moment 

 in the cab-horse, and 200/. too much for the epergne. 

 Neither the dealer nor Storr and Mortimer were to 

 blame. 



The dealer often sells horses within a few days after 

 he has purchased ; but, on the other hand, he keeps 

 some many weeks, and even months, before he finds 

 a customer for them, notwithstanding he has used all 

 his ingenuity, industry, and patience to dispose of 

 them : yet the private individual is quite surprised 

 and dissatisfied, if, when tired of his purchase, he can- 

 not in a few days get him off his hands without con- 

 siderable loss. The dealer had patience to wait many 



