SOME rOLKS MAY BE TOO WELL KNOWN. 351 



this particular ; for tliougli this man or that may not 

 be a judge of such matters, the public is, and a very 

 good one. 



Now we will see why it would be injudicious to 

 state to whom horses for sale belong. Owners very 

 frequently do not wish this to be done, for various 

 reasons ; but if they did, and the salesman was to tell 

 this, the consequence would be, what I dare say the 

 generality of persons never dreamt of — he would be 

 lucky if he got his commission on half the horses he 

 sold. It may be said that gentlemen will not be guilty 

 of ungentlemanlike acts. To this doctrine on a broad 

 scale I fully subscribe ; but I must also say there are 

 a great many who will. Besides this, all the horses 

 sent to a Repository are not sent by gentlemen, nor 

 are tliey all gentlemen who treat for them : conse- 

 quently, unless a salesman knows his customer very 

 well, in justice to himself he must take care that he 

 does not give the opportunity for such things taking 

 place with him. I will answer for it that Osborn 

 would tell me (and doubtless many others of his cus- 

 tomers if they chose to ask him) to whom any horse 

 belonged, unless desired not to do so : nay further, if 

 I wished to purchase a horse in his stables, and more 

 was asked for him than I thought he was worth, he 

 Avould tell me (for he has done it) — " I am not autho- 

 rised to take less than I ask you ; but he belongs to 

 Mr. So-and-so : if you like to go to hira, you may, and 

 if he chooses to take less I can have no objection." 

 But before he would do this, he would know his cus- 

 tomer, and feel quite certain no mean advantage 

 would be taken. Depend on it he would not do this 

 by a stranger: and, what is more, would take still 

 greater precaution in doing it to many he does know. 



