"A BOAT, A BOAT, UNTO THE FEREY." 43 



in wisdom as regards my own career in life ; but 

 as in the present case, I only venture advice on 

 the very subordinate acts of purchasing and treat- 

 ing horses, though I cannot say I shall do any 

 good in giving it, I at all events try to do so ; and 

 in point of fact, I have not only promised to tell 

 a certain class of men where they act injudiciously, 

 but I further promise to tell them how they may 

 act with more prudence ; for if I show them in 

 how many ways they must suffer in making their 

 own selections of horses, and then purchasing for 

 themselves, I conceive it to be tantamount to re- 

 commending them to let others purchase for them. 

 It would be an act of greater arrogance than I 

 hope I have ever yet been guilty of, if I could 

 suppose any one would act on my advice, merely 

 because I give it. But if they find that by acting 

 on my advice (which is, to act on the advice of 

 others) they avoid losses they have hitherto sus- 

 tained, so much the better ; if instead of this they 

 choose to act as they have hitherto done, they 

 will be only where they were. 



Supposing (to bring forward a personal case) I 

 fancied myself a waterman, and wanted a boat ; 

 I might go to Searle, and fall in love with one of 

 his wager-boats, that carries one, not, as we say 

 in coaching, " outside " or " inside," but as those 

 boats do, half out and half in ; I might show my 

 taste in having purchased a very pretty sort of 

 aquatic race-horse ; for which, no doubt, honest 



