WARRANTING A HORSE SOUND. 35 



appears to have been the putting them on then- 

 guard against dealers in horses, together with the 

 perfectly useless attempt to render the purchaser 

 " au fait " of the innumerable tricks that may be 

 played by rogues to impose on the unwary. The 

 motive unquestionably has been a good, indeed a 

 laudable, one. But " a little knowledge " is a dan- 

 gerous thing ; and if, by imparting this much, a 

 man is rendered confident in himself, the chances 

 are, that such advice does him harm instead of good : 

 in fact, if an author made a purchaser get by heart 

 each and all of these tricks, he would do him little 

 service, unless he first made him complete master 

 of the varied ways in which the trick is performed, 

 and then gave him as quick an eye in detecting, 

 as the rogue has in carrying them out. This would 

 require initiation from youth in such matters, 

 and constant practice afterwards. 



If we knew a man had to take five hundred 

 pounds in his pocket from Bond Street to White- 

 chapel, it would be proper enough to tell him 

 that pockets are picked in a crowd, picked while 

 looking at the windows of attractive shops, in 

 omnibusses, or by very gentlemenly men while 

 the attention is taken up by some villanous looking 

 fellow walking purposely by your side. This would, 

 however, by no means ensure his safety ; for while 

 he was guarding against the usual way of com- 

 passing such tricks, a new one would be practised, 



D 2 



