THE BETTING RING. 67 



that the world, with its usual unfairness, will persist 

 in frowning on it when it is applied to horses and 

 dogs, and smiles complacently when it views it in 

 connection with " bulls" and " bears." The very 

 men who gamble without scruple in time bargains 

 and lives, would think their credit as fathers of fami- 

 lies compromised if they were known to bet on a 

 horse-race. Still, while we point out this inconsist- 

 ency, and believe that the turf would sicken and 

 droop without betting, as completely as commerce 

 and business without speculation, we cannot but 

 deeply deplore that men with ample means will not 

 consider such a noble sport quite amusement enough 

 of itself, without the extra stimulant of " the jingle 

 of the guinea." We do so more especially, because, 

 as long as those who ought to be considered its leaders 

 will make a business of the odds, instead of occa- 

 sionally backing their fancy, it is impossible that they 

 can exercise that healthy influence which the turf so 

 much requires to raise its tone, or speak with any 

 real weight in a crisis. Looking at the system 

 of betting generally, not five men in twenty can 

 afford to lose, and certainly not one in twenty afford 

 to win. This may seem a paradox ; but few men, 

 unless they have a very large fortune indeed, can 

 take betting quietly. It can't be done. A young 

 man drawing his first winnings is like a tiger tasting 

 his first blood ; he seldom stops again till he is brought 

 to a dead-lock as a defaulter : the finer the fleece, the 

 more the rooks (who began their career as pigeons) 

 come about him ; his visits are extended from a few 

 afternoons to weeks after weeks of race-meetings, and 

 the mind becomes untuned for everything else. The 

 Legislature knew this when they stepped in and 

 smashed the deposit system in the list houses. It 

 may be a very Arcadian notion, but still we hold 

 that, to really enjoy sport, a man should never go 

 on to a race-course more than thirteen or fourteen 



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