88 THE HUNTING-FIELD. 



" Can you give me any reason wliy I should 

 discharge him ? " said my friend, evidently adher- 

 ing to the idea that the soi-disant stable counseller 

 of several noblemen could, like crowned heads, 

 '' do no wrong,^^ and, moreover, ought no more 

 to be touched than '^ the Lord^s anointed/^ 



" I think I can,'' said I, " give several, or I 

 should not have even hinted at a step that I per- 

 ceive you hold to be of momentous importance. 

 In the first place, then, he knows nothing of his 

 business, — that the condition of your horses shows, 

 who you say have been two months in his hands ; 

 in the next place, he is too great a fool to learn, or 

 he would know better by this time ; thirdly, he 

 is too great a puppy to be taught, that his general 

 demeanour shows : and, fourthly, he is too imper- 

 tinent to be borne with as a servant, and that his 

 conduct this morning has shown. If these are not 

 reasons enough for his dismissal, your forbearance 

 and conscience equal in vulcanised india-rubber 

 properties, that of a Prime Minister in his selec- 

 tion and retention of servants of government 

 having strong parliamentary interest.'' 



" What would you advise me to do ? " said my 

 friend, "for I really begin to think you are 

 right." 



"Personally," said I, "I always make short 

 work of it both with horses and servants, when I 

 find either absolutely burdens. My advice is, send 



