THE TURF. 
of course put hors du combat by such proceedings ; their 
opinion of horses, formed from their public running 
the only honourable criterion being sacrificed by this 
compromise. But we will go one point further. It is 
proceedings such as these that are too often the cause 
of gentlemen on the turf swerving from the straight- 
forward course; men true as the sun in all private 
transactions allow themselves to deviate from the right 
path on a race-course, in revenge for what they deem 
to have been injustice. We could name several honour- 
able and highly-minded gentlemen who have openly 
avowed this: "Our money has been taken from us," 
they have declared, ' ' without our having a chance to 
keep it, and we will recover it in any way we can." In 
truth, we are too much inclined to believe, that a 
modern Aristides has fearful odds against him on the 
English turf at the present time. Look, for example, 
at the sums paid for race-horses, which we think must 
open our eyes to the fact. Three thousand guineas are 
now given for a promising colt for the Derby stakes ! 
But how stands this favourite? There are upwards of a 
hundred horses besides himself named for the stake ; 
more than twenty will start for it ; and if he wins it, it 
does not amount to much above his cost price. But 
the purchaser will back him to win it. Indeed ! back 
him against such a field, several of which he knows 
have been running forward, and others of which have 
not appeared at all, and may be better than his own ! 
No ; these three-thousand-guinea horses are not bought 
242 
