302 
WARRANTY OF SOUNDNESS, ETC. 
not quite so easily disposed of as Mr. Hales seems to think 
by the flippant assertion that “a sound horse means a sound 
horse.” Does anybody of ordinary capacity believe that a 
gentleman having a horse suiting him in every other respect 
would think of getting rid of the animal, merely because it 
had been shown that he had what is called a thrush of the 
hind foot? When it is sought to return a horse for a cause 
so insignificant, the reasonable conclusion which one 
naturally comes to is that it is a mere excuse for repudiating a 
bargain . I confess that to me it seems scarcely professional 
to lend oneself to the furtherance of such a scheme. But 
the subject is an unpleasant one, and I have no desire to 
pursue it. I trust it may be safely left to the sense and 
honour of the profession. 
Let me not be misunderstood ; for I have no desire to 
retort on Mr. Hales the imputation of unworthy motives, 
which he so liberally casts upon others, and he is welcome to 
the monopoly of so vulgar a weapon of controversy, As I 
have stated elsewhere, his mistake arose from a too great 
reverence for an absurd state of the law. Here, indeed, is 
the only strong point of his case, for all else is weak enough. 
I remarked that it was probably out of respect for the opinion 
of Mr. Baron Parke that he was led to look seriously on so 
trifling a disease, and he says — “ I might have added 
Ellenborough and Alderson.” I have no doubt Parke knew 
just as much about the disease in question as Ellenborough, 
and Ellenborough as much as Alderson, Does Mr. Hales 
believe that any one of the three knew anything at all of the 
subject ? The bare supposition is preposterous. What then 
becomes of their “authority” in the eyes of men more 
familiar with the matter? It is simply childish to talk of it. 
There is a story told about the great warrior of antiquity, 
which may not be out of place here. It is said that one day 
when Alexander was in the studio of Apelles, talking about 
painting, of which he knew but little, the artist politely 
hinted to him that he had better say no more, as the boj^s 
who were grinding colours were laughing at him . I hope I 
shall not be considered wanting in proper respect for the 
“ authorities ” if I say that there is a moral in this story 
which may be profitably studied by many of the judges of 
the land, and that it matters not how high a man’s position, 
when he ventures to talk, ex cathedra, about matters of pro- 
fessional interest, of which he cannot have any knowledge, he 
subjects himself to the ridicule of the merest tyro in the 
science. 
There are certain pleasures of early life — hopes, and 
