26 RACING. 



The proprietor of the mare that I had distanced, notwithstand- 

 ing the disgrace, declared with great zeal that she should run the 

 next day against any gelding in the world for double the sum. My 

 master immediately accepted the challenge, and told him that he 

 would the next day produce a gelding that should beat him. But 

 what was my astonishment and indignation when I discovered 

 that he most cruelly and fraudulently intended to qualify me for this 

 match upon the spot, and to sacrifice my life at the very moment 

 in which every nerve should be strained in his service ! 



As I knew it would be in vain to resist, I suffered myself to 

 be bound. The operation was performed, and I was instantly 

 mounted and spurred to the goal. Injured as I was, the love of 

 glory was still superior to the desire of revenge. I determined to 

 die as I had lived, without an equal ; and having again won the 

 race, I sank down at a post in an agony, which soon after put an 

 end to my life. 



The following is the opinion of Mr. John Lawrence, as 

 given in his ' Philosophical and Practical Treatise on Horses,' 

 as to the credit which ought to be attached to this cruel 

 anecdote : 



Every sportsman I hope (writes that author) holds in equal 

 detestation with myself the memory of the brutal and callous- 

 hearted Frampton, who, dead to the soft feelings of compassion, 

 and urged on by the sordid motives of gain, cut his favourite horse 

 Dragon, and instantly ran him to death in his streaming blood. 

 ... I never view the portrait of that savage sportsman without 

 discovering in the hard lines of his face and the knowing leer of 

 his eye all the treachery, cunning, and inhuman profligacy of the 

 lowest blackguard retainer of the stable. . . . 



But common justice will not suffer me to refuse insertion to the 

 following extract from a letter which I have lately received from 

 Mr. Sandern, of Newmarket, a gentleman io whose kindness I also 

 stand obliged for various points of interesting information : 



' The abominable story which is told of Mr. Frampton having 

 castrated Dragon, that he might immediately after run him as a 

 gelding, and of the poor horse having instantly expired after the 

 race, is entirely without foundation ; for I had an uncle who was 

 well acquainted with Mr. Frampton, and who frequently assured 

 me that no such circumstance ever happened ; and therefore, sir, 

 I think you would do an act of justice to contradict it in your 



