"Have you ever found any logical reason why mutual promises are sufficient consideration for one another (like the two lean horses of a Calcutta hack who can only just stand together)? I have not"

This quote by Frederick Pollock is a rhetorical question that is asking if there is any rational reason that mutual promises suffice consideration for one another. He is referring to the two lean horses of a Calcutta hack, which are 2 horses that are so weak that they can hardly stand together. Pollock is suggesting that shared pledges are not enough to make an agreement legitimate, as it is not a strong adequate consideration. He is likewise suggesting that he has actually not discovered any logical reason that shared guarantees suffice factor to consider for one another. This quote is a reminder that contracts need to be based upon something of value, not just a pledge, in order for them to be legally binding.