THE GUN, AND HOW TO CHOOSE IT. 51 
should buy a cheap gun, who values his life or limbs; at 
all events, he should be careful to have the recommenda- 
tion of some one who really understands his business, 
before he trusts to one.” 
It is my own opinion, that the only way by which one 
can be morally certain—physically one can not be certain 
of the quality of a gun—is by dealing with a house of 
established character and reputation, who have therefore 
credit to lose and name to sustain. And by the word 
house, be it understood, I mean gunsmiths or gunmakers, 
and not importing-hardware-man’s house. From the 
former, if he state frankly the manner of gun he desires, 
the price to which he means to go, and leave himself to 
the just dealing of the firm, the purchaser will probably, 
in nine cases out of ten, be fairly dealt with and well- 
suited. From the latter, do what he may, he never will, 
and never can, obtain a safe or decent piece; because 
such men do not themselves know any thing about the 
quality or character of the guns they are selling, merely 
purchasing them in the lump, by invoice, according to 
sample, to sell again singly at ten dollars, or at fifty, or at 
a hundred, each, including all the intermediate prices ; 
all being guns precisely of the same intrinsic worth, but 
valued at more or less, according as they are filed down, 
French varnished, damascened by aid of acids, tricked out 
with German silver, and fitted up complete with velvet- 
lined cases and all appurtenances and means to boot, from 
the wholesale furnishing shops of Birmingham, and its 
vicinity. 
A good judge of a gun, by careful examination of all 
