is here executed with all the dexterity and art imaginable: for instance, you have a distressed friend whom you know must sell; you commiserate his situation, and very kindly find all manner of faults with his horse, and buy it for half its value--you also know a Green-horn and an extravagant fellow, to whom you sell it for twice its value, and that is the neat thing.

Again, if you have a horse you wish to dispose of, the same school will afford you instruction how to make the most of him, that is to say, to conceal his vices and defects, and by proper attention to put him into condition, to alter his whole appearance by hogging, cropping, and docking--by patching up his broken knees--blowing gun-powder in his dim eyes--bishoping, blistering, &c.

so as to turn him out in good twig, scarcely to be known by those who have frequently seen and noticed him: besides which, at the time of sale one of these gentry will aid and assist your views by pointing out his recommendations in some such observations as the following: 'There's a horse truly good and well made.
'There's the appearance of a fine woman! broad breast, round hips, and long neck.
'There's the countenance, intrepidity, and fire of a lion.
'There's the eye, joint, and nostril of an ox.
~162~~'There's the nose, gentleness, and patience of a lamb.
'There's the strength, constancy, and foot of a mule.
'There's the hair, head, and leg of a deer.
'There's the throat, neck, and hearing of a wolf.
'There's the ear, brush, and trot of a fox.
'There's the memory, sight, and turning of a serpent.
'There's the running, suppleness, and innocence of the hare.
"And if a horse sold for sound wind, limb, and eyesight, with all the gentleness of a lamb, that a child might ride him with safety, should afterwards break the purchaser's neck, the seller has nothing to do with it, provided he has received the _bit_,{1} but laughs at the _do_.{2} Nay, they will sometimes sell a horse, warranted to go as steady as ever a horse went in harness, to a friend, assuring him at the same time that he has not a fault of any kind--that he is good as ever shoved a head through a horse-collar; and if he should afterwards rear up in the gig, and overturn the driver into a ditch, shatter the concern to pieces, spill Ma'am, and kill both her and the child of promise, the conscientious Horse-dealer has nothing to do with all this: How could he help it?
he sold the horse for a good horse, and a good horse he was.
This is all in the way of fair dealing.

Again, if a horse is sold as sound, and he prove broken-winded, lame, or otherwise, not worth one fortieth part of the purchase-money, still it is only a piece of jockeyship--a fair manouvre, affording opportunities of merriment." "A very laudable sort of company," said Bob.
"It is rather a mixed one," replied Tom--"it is indeed a complete mixture of all conditions, ranks, and orders of society.

But let us take a peep at some of them.