TURF. 399 



solately raised contributions among the most 

 wretched, by even the infamous practices 

 of *' pricking in the belt,'* and '' hustling 

 in the hat,'') to their phaetons, horses in 

 training, and conspicuous seats in the first 

 fashionable betting stands, among the 

 most eminent characters in the kingdom, 

 but such acts of premeditated and deep-laid 

 villany as no man living can be guarded 

 against, if he embarks or ventures his pro- 

 perty amongst a set of ruffians, that are not 

 only a notorious pest to society, but a dan- 

 o'erous nuisance and obstruction to one of 

 the noblest diversions our kincrdom has to 

 boast ? 



Under such numerous disadvantages, it 

 must prove palpably clear to every ob- 

 server, that none but sportsmen, with for- 

 tunes of the first magnitude, can conscien- 

 tiously enjoy the pleasure of breeding, 

 TRAINING, and RUNNING their horses, 

 without the perpetual dread of approach- 

 ing ruin : in fact, of this such a repetition 

 of proofs have transpired within tiie last 

 twenty years, that the least descriptive 

 corroboration becomes totally unnecessary. 



