PTJECHASING HOESES. 41 



event, for there came — two nights' livery, at 3s. 6c?., 

 21. 2s, ; six halters, 65. ; commission on 300/., 15Z. ; 

 leaving a balance of 283^. 12s. Then came the men 

 touching their hats (that is those v^ho used one, and 

 those who did not pulled their foretops, which spoke 

 the same language). Our hero had sense enough to 

 do the needful with a good grace (though very few 

 do) — why should he not ? The nags had fetched as 

 much as they were worth; no one ought to suffer 

 from the folly — or rather want of knowledge — of the 

 purchaser but himself; but he had got a lesson 

 in horse affairs it was not likely he would soon 

 forget. 



But, be it remembered, this lesson only served 

 him so far as the rudiments of the very complex 

 science of buying went : he had seen the effects of 

 buying without judgment; but this, though some- 

 thing gained, went but little way towards teaching 

 him to buy judiciously. Having, however, got rid of 

 the stud, for the present his expense as regarded 

 them had ceased ; and liaving wisely taken his 

 friend's advice as to his grooms, the expense of 



