264 BIRDS OF A FEATHER. 



who will give long prices, are perfectly well known to 

 all first-rate dealers: consequently, if a stranger enters 

 the yard, they know he is not one of them at all 

 events. But it may be said he may still be a good 

 judge : if he is, the dealer will, in nine cases out of 

 ten, detect him at once. There is a kind of free- 

 masonry among horsemen, as among gentlemen, that 

 enables both to find a kindred spirit in a very short 

 time. Let fifty passengers embark in one of our 

 steamers for only a twenty-four hours' voyage, before 

 one quarter of that time has elapsed it will be found 

 that those who are gentlemen have found each other 

 out, and naturally congregate and enter into conver- 

 sation with each other. Having done this, if there 

 are three or four sporting men on board, my life on it 

 they also single out themselves. Whatever may be a 

 man's favourite pursuit, some observation is sure 

 shortly to detect it. Thus, let two men enter a dealer's 

 yard, the one a horseman, the other not, two or three 

 observations made by each, perhaps the very first 

 made, will show which is which. From this the dealer 

 takes his cue, and acts accordingly. Nor indeed is 

 any verbal observation necessary. Let the two only 

 walk round the stables : the man who is a judge will 

 stop opposite and look at only such horses as are of a 

 good sort for some purpose ; the other will either in- 

 discriminately look at all, good or bad, or very pro- 

 bably be taken by the appearance of such nags as the 

 other never gave a second look at. Now, though, 

 while this is going on, people may not keep an eye on 

 the dealer, he is keeping his on them, and a watchful 

 one too. This is part of his business. If he is a man 

 au fait de son metier, it will be observed, that, how- 

 ever much a dealer may subsequently talk, he seldom 



