_The Adventures of a Gentleman in Search of a Horse. By Caveat Emptor,
Gent. One, Etc. Philadelphia: Republished by Carey, Lea and
Blanchard._
This book, to say nothing of its peculiar excellence and general
usefulness, is remarkable as being an anomaly in the literary way. The
first 180 pages are occupied with what the title implies, the
adventures of a gentleman in search of a horse—the remaining 100
embrace, in all its details, difficulties, and intricacies, a profound
treatise on the English _law of horse-dealing warranty!_—and this too,
strange as it may seem, appears to be the first and only treatise upon
a subject so interesting to a great portion of the English gentry.
Think of _law_, serviceable law too, intended as a matter of
reference, compiled by a well known attorney, and dedicated to Sir
John Gurney, one of the Barons of his Majesty's Court of
Exchequer—think of all this done up in a green muslin cover, and
illustrated by very laughable wood-cuts. Only imagine the stare of old
Coke, and of the other big wigged tribe in white calf and red-letter
binding, as our friend in the green habit shall take his station by
their side upon the book shelf!
The _adventurous_ portion of the book is all to which we have
attended, and so far we have found much fine humor, good advice, and
useful information in all matters touching the nature, the management,
and especially the purchase of a horse. We would advise all amateurs
to look well, and look quickly into the pages of Caveat Emptor.