258 "WHY MULTIPLY WORDS, IF A COUPLE WILL DO?" 



their goods, truth or not truth : my questions to a 

 dealer about his horse are very few, and for this 

 reason : if answering truly would deteriorate the horse 

 in my estimation, I should possibly not be told the 

 truth ; consequently I am probably only asking for a 

 falsehood ; and if the truth would be a recommenda- 

 tion, and I should therefore be told it, I should then 

 be quite uncertain whether to believe it or not. If a 

 man is not a judge of a horse, he has no business 

 going personally to dealers in horses : if he is not a 

 judge of a picture, he has no business to go to a pic- 

 ture-dealer : he may purchase of both; but, in the name 

 of common sense, let him send or take some one to 

 buy for him who is a judge of what is wanted : and he 

 must keep his eyes open ; he will want both of them 

 in buying from the most honest trader. 



If I want a horse for myself or friends, and go to 

 a dealer's yard, I first state what sort of a horse I want, 

 and like, and for what purpose I want him. This 

 looks like business looks as if I knew what I do want 

 (Mem. many people do not), and shows I do not wish 

 to take or give unnecessary trouble. It certainly by 

 no means insures my being shown what will suit 

 me ; but it insures my being shown what conies the 

 nearest to it of such as the dealer has. If I do not 

 like his appearance or action, three minutes settle 

 that : I civilly thank him for the sight of his horse, 

 and give no further trouble. If I do like him, I 

 merely ask, " Do you WARRANT him sound and free 

 from vice ? " If he does, I ask his price : if a reason- 

 able one, I try him : if more is asked than I choose to 

 give, I never ride or drive a horse till I get him to or 

 very nearly to the price I make up my mind to give. 

 I never try a horse till I have determined to buy him. 



