A SPEECH. 299 



to his great surprise (not being aware of the sale of 

 his horse having been purposely spoiled) that he gets 

 no offers made for him except by friends of the 

 dealer, who have been sent to offer him even less than 

 he did, he goes to the dealer, and talks of taking, say 

 Wl. more than he had offered, and 301. less than he 

 (the owner) had asked : but he now finds the case 

 altered ; that is, it is represented to be so : he will be 

 told that the dealer, having seen more of the horse, 

 does not like him at all, or he has bought two others, 

 which are all he wants : besides, " talking of thirty 

 pounds, Sir, why, there's a horse ! I bought him 

 (showing one belonging to some friend who is perhaps 

 asking 50/. for him) for 18^. : he is worth two of this 

 here old 'un." " Very well," says the gentleman, 

 " then you decline him ; go home, Thomas." " Why, 

 as to that, Sir, I don't mind buying him at a price." 

 " Well, wait, Thomas." He now tries the civil, candid 

 tack : " dares to say the horse is a good horse ; is 

 sure the gentleman would not deceive him (Mem. 

 no fear of that!) dares to say the gentleman thinks 

 he offers a low price ; but country gentlemen don't 

 know what sich horses are worth in Lunnun : he 

 couldn't sell him as a sound un to none of his cus- 

 tomers, not by no means : he should sell him for a 

 hommibus to his brother, who wanted one ; he might 

 do a little vork in leather ; wishes for the gentleman's 

 sake he could give more ; 'twould be better for he 

 and the gentleman too if he could ! he has three fivers 

 left ; he would give that, but he would as soon be 

 Avitliout him." It ends in his getting him : he gives 

 the servant half a crown openly (says nothing of 

 the two sovereigns given before) then tells the 



