STARS, COMETS, AND HORSES. 71 



coming very near Aviiat 1 have described ; but a heavy 

 Aveight must not expect anything of the kind, give 

 what he will. Probably the more money a man gives 

 the nearer he will get to the thing : but it is not 

 always the extraordinary powers of a horse that 

 bring the most extraordinary prices. There are 

 many horses of great beauty and of wonderful quali- 

 fications carrying whips, that would command any 

 price, but for a something : they are, with all their 

 superior qualifications as to speed and fencing, either 

 perhaps a little uncertain, want getting along, or 

 want holding : these little or great failings make the 

 difference between five hundred and one ; and 

 perhaps the hundred-guinea horse can really achieve 

 greater things than the other ; but he is not so per- 

 fect for a gentleman's riding. Supposing, however, a 

 man lucky enough to have a fortune equal to giving 

 such prices as to entitle him to expect to get a horse 

 capable of doing all horses can do, and that without 

 much attention on the part of his rider ; mind, he 

 must not expect to get a stable of such horses. We 

 may see stars every clear night, some brighter than 

 others, but comets are not seen every week or month, 

 nor are such horses oftener to be met with ; and in 

 truth, if we do get a horse that will or can gratify 

 the aristocratic ease and pride of his owner by doing 

 his business without assistance — of course I mean 

 comparatively without it — this horse could do more 

 if properly assisted ; and I really consider it a wanton 

 expenditure of the animal powders of a good horse 

 when we occasion a greater expenditure than is 

 necessary in order to gratify our indolence or vanity : 

 for there is among certain men a good deal of vanity 

 and afi^ectation respecting their horses ; and the afFec- 



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