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Merrylegs
Squire Gordon is Black Beauty’s second owner. He’s a wealthy country gentleman and local magistrate who lives at Birtwick Park with his wife, Mrs. Gordon, and his two daughters, Miss Jessie and Miss Flora. He doesn’t ride much after his son, George Gordon, died during a foxhunting accident. Black Beauty quickly discovers that Squire Gordon is kind, generous, and a skilled and sensible rider. He’s extremely concerned with animal welfare, so he doesn’t use the bearing rein on his own horses and tries to convince his peers and others in the community to not use bearing reins on their horses, either. Squire Gordon also stands up whenever he catches someone abusing a horse or a person—and occasionally, he’s the magistrate who tries animal abusers. He also cares deeply about the people who work for him. Though he thinks highly of James Howard and doesn’t want to lose such a good employee, he recommends James to his brother-in-law as a coachman. He also offers to help John Manly in any way possible after the Gordons leave the country. Ultimately, when Mrs. Gordon becomes seriously ill, Squire Gordon moves his family to continental Europe. He tries to ensure that his horses will go to people who will care for them—but except in Merrylegs’s case, he’s unsuccessful.
Squire Gordon Quotes in Black Beauty
The Black Beauty quotes below are all either spoken by Squire Gordon or refer to Squire Gordon. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Chapter 11 Quotes
“I must say, Mr Sawyer, that more unmanly, brutal treatment of a little pony it was never my painful lot to witness; and by giving way to such passions you injure your own character as much, nay more, than you injure your horse, and remember, we shall all have to be judged according to our works, whether they be towards man or towards beast.”
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When Squire Gordon encounters a neighbor jerking cruelly on his pony’s mouth, he reprimands Mr. Sawyer. Squire Gordon makes the case that by abusing his pony like this, Mr. Sawyer isn’t just causing pain to the pony. Rather, he’s making himself look terrible—such as to Squire Gordon, who now may be less likely to hire or help Mr. Sawyer after witnessing this. Then, Squire Gordon also crystallizes the novel’s insistence that what makes a person good is what they do, not what they think or believe. So Mr. Sawyer will have to answer for his uncharitable actions—and people who stand Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. U
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Squire Gordon Character Timeline in Black Beauty
The timeline below shows where the character Squire Gordon appears in Black Beauty. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 2
Later, the narrator learns the dead man is George Gordon, Squire Gordon ’s only son. People ride in all directions and soon, a farrier arrives to check...
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Chapter 3
...like men, colts shouldn’t work like horses until they’re adults. When the narrator turns four, Squire Gordon comes to examine him and says that once the narrator has been “broken in,” he’ll...
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Chapter 4
In early May, a man comes from Squire Gordon ’s to take the narrator to the Hall. Squire Gordon’s Park is on the edge...
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Chapter 5
...Manly. The morning after the narrator arrives, John grooms the narrator in the yard so Squire Gordon can inspect him. Squire Gordon asks John to take the narrator out to test his...
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The next morning, Squire Gordon takes the narrator out. He’s an excellent rider and cares deeply for his mount. When...
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Chapter 6
On some summer Sundays, the horses do get their liberty for a few hours while Squire Gordon and his family are at church. In the paddock or the orchard, they can enjoy...
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Chapter 8
...groom’s advice. Ginger says she went back to the kind dealer, who sold her to Squire Gordon . Ginger now believes that men are her enemies, and she must defend herself. It’s...
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...James even remarks one day that she seems to like him. John agrees, and even Squire Gordon notices the change in her. John insists it was a treatment of “Birtwick balls” that...
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Chapter 9
...quips that she would’ve kicked the boys. Merrylegs says he’s not foolish enough to make Squire Gordon or James ashamed of him. And besides, the adults trust Merrylegs with the kids. He...
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Chapter 10
...the standard tall carriage breed. Because of this, they’re used for riding as well—and anyway, Squire Gordon dislikes horses and people that can only do one thing. Black Beauty loves riding, as...
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Chapter 11
Black Beauty becomes prouder and happier at Birtwick the longer he lives there. Squire Gordon and Mrs. Gordon are respected and well-loved; they speak out against anyone who mistreats animals...
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Once, even Squire Gordon loses it with a man who yanks on his pony’s mouth hard enough to make...
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Chapter 12
In late autumn, Squire Gordon takes John and Black Beauty on a long business trip. Black Beauty is happy to...
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...instant he puts a hoof on the bridge. It’s not safe, but he can’t tell Squire Gordon that. He stands still, even when Squire Gordon gives him a sharp lash. Just then,...
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Squire Gordon and John turn Black Beauty around and they trot along in the dark. Black Beauty...
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Chapter 14
One early December morning, Squire Gordon comes into the barn looking concerned. He asks John if he has any complaints about...
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Squire Gordon says his brother-in-law has asked for help in finding a new groom to work alongside...
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Chapter 15
Squire Gordon and Mrs. Gordon decide to visit friends that live 46 miles away, and they plan...
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James shares that his employer is Squire Gordon , and he and the old ostler discuss George Gordon’s death and that Black Beauty...
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Chapter 16
...just in case the fire spreads. Black Beauty watches the stable door for Ginger as Squire Gordon enters the fray, shouting for James. As a crash comes from the stable, James emerges...
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In the morning, Black Beauty observes that James looks very proud of himself— Squire Gordon seems proud of him, too. During the day, James returns to the first hotel. When...
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Chapter 18
...he knows it, John has him saddled and they’re riding up to the main house. Squire Gordon gives John a note to give to the doctor and tells him to ride for...
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...a “stupid boy.” By now, it’s been several days, and Black Beauty is seriously ill. Squire Gordon comes to visit often and says once that Black Beauty saved Mrs. Gordon’s life—had they...
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Chapter 20
...gets to ride Black Beauty or Ginger—but one day when John is out with Justice, Squire Gordon asks Joe to take Black Beauty and deliver a note for him. Joe delivers the...
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That evening, a footman takes Joe to Squire Gordon ’s house to testify; Squire Gordon is a county magistrate. After a while, Joe returns...
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Chapter 21
...doctor says that Mrs. Gordon must move to a warm country for several years. Immediately, Squire Gordon begins dismantling his estate. Miss Jessie and Miss Flora leave first and hug Merrylegs. Then,...
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On his final night in England, Squire Gordon comes to the stables to give directions and say goodbye to the horses. He and...
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...day, Ginger and Black Beauty bring the carriage to the house for the last time. Squire Gordon carries Mrs. Gordon to the carriage, and John drives the horses to the train station....
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Chapter 22
...he knows the bearing rein and a gag bit spoiled Ginger before she came to Squire Gordon . York says horses here must wear the bearing rein, though he personally thinks they’re...
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The next day, Lord W comes to inspect Ginger and Black Beauty. He’s pleased; Squire Gordon said they’re wonderful animals. Since they don’t match, though, they’ll only pull the carriage in...
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Chapter 23
...bearing rein makes it hurt to breathe. Black Beauty used to know that John and Squire Gordon would protect him. Now, though he suspects York knows how much damage the bearing rein...
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Chapter 27
...W is very annoyed; he says he’s lost a lot of money, and he ruined Squire Gordon ’s favorite horses. Ginger, he says, will have a year of rest, but Black Beauty...
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