240 " 'TIS STRANGE, 'TIS PASSING STRANGE." 



But to return to the horse that has been shown, 

 seen, ridden, approved of, and purchased. A few 

 days after these events, the owner wishes to show his 

 purchase to a friend, and recollecting the imposing 

 appearance of the nag in the dealer's yard, he naturally 

 expects he will look the same now, and strike his 

 friend with the same admiration the owner felt on 

 seeing him. Greatly, however, to his surprise and 

 dismay, he perceives him to cut quite a different figure, 

 barely looking the same animal. He cannot under- 

 stand this : he sees that it is so, but why it is so he 

 can in no way account for. Had he read the few 

 Hints I have given, merely as relating to a very few 

 of the attentions paid to appearances when shown by 

 one who knows something of his business, he would 

 not be quite so much in the dark : still, supposing him 

 to make some use of those Hints, he cannot nor ever 

 will show the horse, or any horse, like the dealer. 

 How should he? he was not bred to the trade. 



Reverting to the objection dealers have to purchase 

 a horse they have sold, the Reader must bear in mind 

 my having before represented the passion most people 

 have for horses quite fresh. Now this perfectly fresh 

 look goes off in a horse much sooner than most per- 

 sons suppose; and though, provided he has been only 

 moderately worked for six months, he is intrinsically 

 a far better animal for use, and sometimes improved 

 to the eye of a judge from having lost some of his 

 superfluous fat, this will not alter the case : he does 

 not look so new (for new is not an inappropriate term 

 to be applied to a dealer's horse). This newness does, 

 and I suppose will continue to put a stamp of value 

 on whatever is sought to be purchased by the gene- 

 rality of mankind. To have the first of a thing seems 



