PURCHASE OF PALMISTRY. 133 
forgetting that “like begets like.” A condition worthy of note 
in Sir Tatton’s sale was the total absence of the fillies. These 
were kept to breed from; and those not good enough for 
that purpose were disposed of for hacks. His colts had 
always a reserve of 100 guineas placed on them. But if they 
returned to Sledmere unsold, no reasonable offer was ever 
refused. Sz. Giles, Greyling, and Companion, were bought of 
him in this way at sixty guineas each after returning from the 
sale at York. All were winners: the former perhaps one of 
the best horses of his day over a distance of ground, and 
most certainly the finest of them. 
Sir Tatton professed never to sell brood mares; nor, as 
I before said, yearling fillies. But he was always exceed- 
ingly kind to me, and sold me three brood mares with 
their foals, all the mares being served again by Axdover, 
for 300 guineas. One of the foals, as a yearling, I sold for 
500 guineas. The mares I thus bought were Palmistry, the 
dam of Sz. Gzles, and two young mares out of her dam; and 
when Sir Tatton told Snarry, his old stud-groom, of the sale, 
the latter said, “Sir Tatton, you have sold one of the best 
mares you have.” “Never mind, Snarry,”’ Sir Tatton 
answered, “Mr. Day is a good customer, and I would rather 
sell and repent, than keep and repent.” 
On this memorable occasion I asked him another favour, 
which he also readily granted. It was to sell me a foal. I 
was commissioned by the late Lord Ribblesdale to give 300 
guineas for Brother to Centurion, if I liked him. I did, and 
bought him for twenty-five guineas; which the generous old 
Baronet begged me to give to my uncle Samuel with his 
compliments—which was done. 
In concluding my remarks on the yearlings bred at 
Sledmere, I may say that Sir Tatton was hospitable to a 
