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galvanic battery. Then watch the piteous emotions his countenance exhibits, but which have their smarting origin

in quite another quarter.

After a dozen lessons, if no longer a "raw," he fancies himself competent to "go upon the road." Having been told in "the school" that a rider should always accommodate himself to the motion of the horse, he construes it into meaning that he should adopt as nearly the same position as the difference of structure between the biped and the quadruped will allow, and not carrying with him a "cheval glass," he considers the ne plus ultra of grace and elegance to consist in bringing his body into the form of a placed sideways.

There are two kinds of persons who keep horses. Those that keep them for their own amusement, and those who profit by keeping them for the amusement of others. The horses of the former either go, or go too fast; whilst those of the latter usually go too little unless, as it often happens, they have no go in them. These "little go" animals are generally met, in greatest numbers, about the neighbourhood of Hampstead, Hyde Park, and Norwood,

The first time our young Alexanders give way to the seductive pleasures of riding upon a hired Bucephalus, with what satisfaction do they tramp their spurred heels along the pavement, and cut and swish the inoffensive air with their whips, as they wend their way to the abiding place of the man "Licensed to let, &c." We will select one from the mass-who is what the ostler calls a "counterjumper." With a heart beating as violently as hearts will, when they set about doing what they should let alone, he attempts to get up on the wrong side; and, when told of the mistake, places his right foot in the stirrup, which happening to be wrong, he finds himself turning his head towards the tail of his courser. With the assistance of two ostlers, who shove him into the saddle, whilst a third holds the nag's head, he is at last seated; but no sooner do the biped and quadruped find themselves twenty paces from the stable, where the latter has left his friends and his provender, than things take a different turn, and the horse's head does the same. A tug at the bridle brings him again in a direct line; but twenty paces more are scarcely got over when the Rosinante suddenly stops, and reflecting a moment, like a man who has forgotten his umbrella or pocket-handkerchief, he turns suddenly round, and reaches the stable in a smart trot, totally disregarding the rider's persuasions to induce his taking a contrary direction.

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Some are affected with cramp, and striking out the suffering limbs enable the cavalier to decide whether woodpavement presents any advantages over stone in point of gravitation or concussion.

Horses have their antipathies as well as men, and amongst their most decided dislikes are the cutting of the whip and the digging of the spur. Some are much annoyed by the barking of dogs; but any of these aversions frequently causes them to start off at full gallop, and double the intentions of the rider in point of distance. The sound of the organ, or the beating of the drum, which frightens some of the hired race, is a source of pleasure and amusement to others: hence it sometimes happens, he who is mounted upon an old stager from some Olympic circle, that delights in the mazy waltz or sprightly gallop, runs the chance of breaking his neck upon the sliding scale, if he be not sufficiently adroit to keep his seat.

The expense of indulging in equestrian pleasures does not seem very great, provided the rider is possessed of

scarcely "possible to force a passage," for the clattering smash of the plate glass convinces you of the contrary. If the entry be but little flattering, the exit, is excessively humiliating; for the milliners cry out, a mob soon assembles, and sometimes a policeman is to be found. Then, after much pulling in front and pushing behind, the perverse animal is withdrawn from the retreat he had selected; and the horseman, who calculated upon paying a dozen shillings, including ostler and turnpikes, for his day's diversion, finds himself let in to the tune of 321. 11s. 2d., for broken glass, damaged caps and bonnets, without reckoning the douceur with which he must soften the woes of the affrighted damsels. If (query) he carries so much money in his pocket (we never do) he pays, of course; and having once read of a coach-and-four being driven round some shop, he is puzzled that, in these New Tariff days, a ride into a "Magazin de modes et nouveautés," should be so deuced expensive. If he does n' t happen to carry the ready with him, prompted by L 32, the scene changes to the station-house.

At every watering-place may be met, about the outskirts of the town, some dozen lean, lank, crippled, and spavined animals, whose four legs and a tail constitute the pretext for their being offered as horses to the visitors. Whether

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the sea air or these sea horses inspire an equestrian taste we cannot tell, but that a mania exists for the amusement is evident by the condition of the poor brutes from whose flesh and blood it is derived, who run life's gauntlet through the perpetual beating and kicking of their riders.

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