THE BUSYBODY. 337 



Meddler, and a mighty meddling troublesome fellow 

 he is, a perfect pest to dealers and Eepositories, about 

 whose stables he is always to be found more or less. 

 Now, whether Mr. Meddler designates himself an 

 agent, or what, I do not know, so I will call him a 

 peripatetic salesman. His business (or at least what 

 he makes his business) is, to know the appearance, 

 qualifications, and price of every horse standing in a 

 dealer's stable, or in those of any public establishment 

 for sale ; and this by hook or by crook he will know, 

 how much soever the master of either stable may wish 

 to prevent him. But he knows a great deal more 

 than this ; for he makes himself acquainted with every 

 horse for sale in the neighbourhood, and also with 

 every person wanting to purchase one for any given 

 purpose ; so that he can very often, nay generally (if 

 he chooses to do so), find a horse a master, and a 

 master a horse to suit each other. Now this looks 

 like a very useful fellow ; mais le vrai riest pas ton- 

 jours le vraisemblable ; nor is this very useful fellow 

 on the whole so great an acquisition to a town as some 

 people think him. If his business consisted in saving 

 people the trouble of looking for horses by informing 

 them where such a horse or horses as they want are 

 to be found, he would be a useful man, and no one 

 would grudge him his guinea for his trouble (if they 

 chose to employ him) ; but he does not wait for this ; 

 he will have a feeling in every horse for sale in the 

 town and neighbourhood, or he will use every exertion 

 in his power to prevent its being bought, however 

 good he may be. Having a hand in the sale of a 

 horse is his bread, consequently it is his interest to 

 prevent any one being sold in which he lias not a 

 feeling. 



VOL. i. z 



