142 PRECEPT AND PRACTICE. 



** But," says the young one, perfectly astonished, 

 " is it not lowering his horses in other persons' esti- 

 mation to call them hacks ?" 



" Not a bit ; they are as well known as his hunters, 

 and their merits will be appreciated, call them what 

 he -will : nor will they, as you will see, be overlooked, 

 because the other four may be a shade more perfect.'* 



" But what does he promise himself by calling 

 them hacks, when, as you say, they are very superior 

 hunters ?" 



*' I can only infer he does it from sheer affectation, 

 a bit of pardonable, but we will not say commendable, 

 vanity. He knows the two he calls hacks are such 

 hunters as the generality of men do not possess, and 

 he is aware they know so too. He knows the term 

 will not influene the price, so he indulges in this bit 

 of affectation, well aware he will lose nothing by it 

 as to price. But I will give you a specimen of men's 

 vanity in two instances among a hundred that I have 

 seen : — Some years since, I was waiting at a cover-side 

 that the hounds were drawing ; a very spicy gentle- 

 man was there also. We naturally spoke, and our 



