MISCELLANEA. 
399 
of nitric acid and oil of tartar in a quart bottle, which he was 
shaking for the purpose of mixing those ingredients, when, from 
the accumulation of gas, the bottle exploded with the report of a 
small cannon, and severely wounded Mr. Adamson in the side. 
-A large piece of glass was afterwards extracted, which, it is 
feared, has injured the lungs. Two horses, belonging to the 
Hon. and Rev. Dr. Wellesley, were leaving the shop at the 
time of the accident, in charge of a servant. One of them re¬ 
ceived a deep wound in the thigh from the broken glass, and the 
servant was thrown against the wall by the force of the explosion, 
Mr. Adamson is expected to recover.— T^ne Mercury, 
The H orse-Dealer. 
[From Hood's Comic Annual.^ 
The horse-dealer is a double dealer, for he dealeth more in 
double meanings than your punster. When he giveth his word, 
it signifieth little, howbeit it standeth for two significations. He 
putteth his promises, like his colts, in a break. Over his mouth, 
truth, like the turnpike-man, writeth up No Trust. Whenever 
he speaketh, his speech hath more turns than the fore-wheel. 
He telleth lies, not white only, or black, but likewise grey, bay, 
chesnut-brown, cream, and roan—pyebald and skewbald. He 
sweareth as many oaths out of court as any man, and more in ; 
for he will swear two ways about a horse’s dam. If, by God’s 
grace, he be something honest, it is only a dapple, for he can be 
fair and unfair at once. He hath much imagination, for he 
selleth a complete set of capital harness, of which there be no 
traces. He advertizeth a coach, w'arranted on its first wheels; and 
truly the hind pair are wanting to the bargain. A carriage that 
hath travelled twenty summers and winters, he describeth well- 
seasoned. He knocketh down machine-horses that have been 
knocked up on the road, but is so tender of heart to his animals, 
that he parteth with none for a fault; "for,’ as hesayeth, ‘blind¬ 
ness or lameness be misfortunes.’ A nag, proper only for dog’s 
meat, he writeth down, but crieth up, ‘ fit to go to any hounds;’ 
or, as may be, " would suit a timid gentleman.’ Stringhalt he 
calleth ‘ grand action,’ and kicking, " lifting the feet well up.’ If 
a mare have the farcical disease, he nameth her " out of comedy,’ 
and selleth Blackbird for a racer because he hath a running 
thrush. Horses that drink only water, he justly warranteth to 
be "temperate;’ and if dead lame, declareth them ‘good in all 
their paces,’ seeing that they can go but one. Roaring he call- 
eth ‘sound,’ and a steed that high bloweth in running, he com- 
pareth to Eclipse, for he outstrippeth the wind. Another might 
