> TURF, 387 



fairly infer their immense properties to have 

 operated as preventatives.. 



This sport, that has for many years been 

 so exceedingly prevalent, is at length de- 

 clining very fast among the middle and 

 inferior classes of people ; and of this di- 

 minution the annual contribution of two 

 guineas each to government is a sufficient 

 proof, when it is known, that all the horses 

 that RUN, PAID, or received forfeit, in 

 the united kingdom last year, did not ex- 

 ceed eight hundred ; a number that does nat 

 much surpass the averaged half of horses 

 supported in training some few years past ; 

 a circumstance that requires little further 

 corroboration, than the numerous plates ad- 

 vertised in different parts, for the two or 

 three last years, that were never run for, 

 ' ' for ivaiit of horses.'' 



This falling off may be justly attributed 

 to a combination of obstacles ; the con- 

 stantly increasing expense of training ; 

 the ministerial tax ; the professional dupli- 

 city (or rather ^family deception J of riders, 



* Gamblers are known by the apiVilalion of " The 

 bladv %gcd family.'* 



2 C 2 



