406 A SELECT FEW. 



is borne among the clique : so it is a mere nothing to 

 each, and eventually it serves the trade. If two or 

 three or more dealers know there is a horse to be sold 

 that would, " at a price" suit each of them, do not 

 flatter yourself (if you knew this) that your horse, or 

 rather yourself, will get a better price on that account ; 

 you will in fact get a worse ; for it then becomes the 

 personal interest of all these to prevent it. He will 

 be bought by any one of them fixed upon, and then 

 be resold by a kind of private auction among those 

 who would have been disposed to bid for him. Nor 

 is it in the power of any auctioneer to totally prevent 

 this combination among the trade, try what he will. 

 No man endeavours to do so more than Mr. Tatter sail : 

 he is always ready to show dealers every proper atten- 

 tion, civility, and accommodation ; but his interest, 

 his character, and it is only doing him bare justice to 

 say, his principles, make him at all times hostile to any 

 thing he thinks looks like combination among them to 

 the injury of gentlemen. If he had not done this, 

 the " Corner" would long since have been deserted by 

 them, instead of being, as it is, and has been for more 

 than half a century, the resort of all the aristocracy 

 of this kingdom, and that of others (when here) who 

 make horses one of their pursuits. This would render 

 any panegyric on Mr. Tattersall or his establishment 

 quite useless on my part if I wished to write one, 

 which I in no way contemplate. I mention the esta- 

 blishment among other things : I have no earthly inte- 

 rest in what I say of it. It is true I have been known 

 to Mr. Tattersall from a boy (though not as HARRY 

 HIE'OVER) ; but I never received a favour from him 

 in my life, and dare say never shall. It has, moreover, 

 happened I never had occasion to sell or buy half a 



