MAN AND HOESES OF THE RIGHT SORT. 19 



They thrive by keeping alive hopes in this parti- 

 cular : let a man give money enough, and change 

 often enough, he will be ruined by it. 



My first, best, and most strenuous advice to 

 any man wanting horses, not being a thorough, 

 good, practical judge, yet wishing to keep the 

 money together, I shall write in large characters — 



NEVER BUY FOR YOURSELF. 



I am quite satisfied that most men who are good 

 judges would, if they studied their pecuniary 

 interests only, very often do much better by letting 

 an equally good judge buy for them, than by 

 purchasing for themselves. I have an acquaintance 

 whom, if I wanted a hunter, or, indeed any sort 

 of horse, I would certainly get to purchase for me, 

 with quite as much confidence in his judgment, 

 indeed, I will say more, than I should have in my 

 own. In such a case, I should at once send him 

 so much money ; beg him to give that, less or 

 more if I could afibrd it, and send me the nag. 

 If on seeing him I did not quite like his looks, I 

 should be certain there was a something to fully 

 make amends for any little falling off in this par- 

 ticular. If on riding him we did not seem com- 

 fortable together, I should be satisfied it arose 

 from some want of management on my part, and 

 c 2 



