198 THE STUD. 



using a bad sort really, in the estimation of other 

 persons, has ; for if his horse is unfit for him, in 

 somethino; like the words in the Good-natured 

 Man, " he is sure to have some d good- 

 natured friend to tell him of it." He must, there- 

 fore, be vain, arrogant, or obstinate, in keeping 

 at an expense that from which he, so far from 

 gaining credit by, incurs something very closely 

 bordering on ridicule. 



Xever wishing to give offence where I can avoid 

 it, I must observe that there are numberless men 

 using horses seemingly very inappropriate to their 

 purpose, who may say, " whatever my horse may 

 look, he carries me safe, and, to me, pleasantly : '' 

 then I should say, " the horse is not inappropriate 

 to the purpose he is used for ; " but my predilec- 

 tion in favour of looks would tempt me to say, 

 if I could venture to do so, ^^ ride that horse as 

 long as he carries you as you like, but when you 

 buy again, do get something that looks more like 

 the thing ; he may as well, and much better, eat 

 your oats than a nondescript looking animal, that 

 does you no credit." 



In a pecuniary point of view the reader will, I 

 know, find my advice good as to appearance in 

 the horse. A good sort, for any given purpose, 

 will always readily sell ; a middling looking one 

 is a positive drug : and I suspect that those who 

 are seduced into buying such, generally are, at 



