ADVICE. 37 



would have on a fair average to pay for such another, 

 as good and unblemished in every respect, in the 

 country in which you may be. 



ADVICE. 



Notwithstanding my endeavours to put the fore- 

 going before you clearly and simply, I much fear, 

 five or six days after your purchase, you will discover 

 you have overpaid some twenty or thirty per cent. 

 The brass, and plausibility of some rogues, in selling 

 a deformed, useless, or diseased animal is incredible. 

 If made like a cow, and showing the ill-breeding of 

 a country horse, they will name to you some known 

 good running Arab that had an ugly exterior, which 

 is nothing at all to the purpose. A horse in his 

 tout ensemble will often have an ugly appearance, and 

 yet evidently show blood, and possess most of the 

 best running points ; one, however, whether hand- 

 some or ugly, that does not possess them, will never 

 be a first-rate. If the legs are crooked, or the feet 

 long, another runner will be named that had these 

 faults, and they will affirm positively, it was in con- 

 sequence of these defects, not in spite of them, and 

 from their other very superior qualities that they 

 happened to run well. If the shank is as large and 

 round as a pint bottle, they will put their hand down 

 to demonstrate to you the circumference, saying, 

 " There's strength of limb !" A bunged, windgalled 

 leg will become clean and wiry ; a bull-neck will fine 

 away ; a herring-gut will turn into a beautiful barrel ; 

 a heavy shoulder into a light one ; and a contracted 

 and long foot will both open and shorten, when he is 



