of a knotty stick
sawed upon them till the creature cried like a child; and when I ordered
him to desist, told me he would not, till I had given him sixpence.
There is something worse than all this. The avaricious rascals, when
they can find nothing that they think will excite my pity, disable the
first animal which is not dignified with the title of Christian, and
then bring it to me as an object worthy of commiseration; so that, in
fact, instead of protecting, I destroy. The women have entertained a
notion that I hate two-legged animals; and one of them called after me
the other day, to tell me I was an old rogue, and that I had better give
my money to the poor, than keep a parcel of dogs and cats that eat up
the village. I perceive it is in vain to attempt carrying on the scheme
much longer, and then my poor invalids will be worse off than they were
before."[226]

A JOKE OF LORD MANSFIELD'S ABOUT A HORSE.

Lord Campbell[227] tells an anecdote of George Wood, a celebrated
special pleader at the time when Lord Mansfield was Chief-Justice.
Though a subtle pleader, George was very ignorant of _horse-flesh_, and
had been cruelly cheated in the purchase of a horse on which he had
intended to ride the circuit. He brought an action on the warranty that
the horse was "a good roadster, and free from vice." At the trial before
Lord Mansfield, it appeared that when the plaintiff mounted at the
stables in London, with the intention of proceeding to Barnet, nothing
could induce the animal to move forward a single step. On hearing this
evidence, the Chief-Justice with much gravity exclaimed, "Who would have
supposed that Mr Wood's horse would have _demurred_ when he ought to
have _gone to the country_." Any attempt, adds Lord Campbell, to explain
this excellent joke to _lay gents_ would be vain, and to _lawyers_ would
be superfluous.

GENERAL SIR JOHN MOORE AND HIS HORSE AT THE BATTLE OF CORUNNA.

Charles Napier served in Lord William Bentinck's brigade during the
retreat of the truly great and ill-used Moore at the battle of Corunna;
he was covered with wounds, and was carried off a prisoner. In his
"Biography" General Sir William Napier[228] has published a most
interesting description of the part his brother took in that battle, and
written in his own words. I extract a few vivid lines in which Moore and
his horse are brought before you. A heavy French column was descending
rapidly on the British line at the part where N