THE TURF. 
little were he really a book, and not a horse : 
the animal with the best blood in England in his 
veins, and the best jockey on his back, shall have no 
more chance to win, if backed heavily to lose, than 
a jackass. 
Yet this evil is likely to cure itself; and we cannot 
more clearly point out the remedy than by extracting 
the following passage from the June number of the 
" New Sporting Magazine" for the year 1836. "The 
settling-day (for the Epsom Meeting) on the 24th of 
May, passed off worse than any settling-day within our 
recollection. There was less money forthcoming than 
ever was known ; and one noble lord, a book-winner of 
ten thousand pounds, was only able to draw three thou- 
sand pounds ; while others actually went prepared to 
pay, whereas they ought to have been large winners. 
We are happy to add that the black-leg fraternity were 
the heavy losers, and upon the old proverb of ' ex nilrilo 
nihil ft,' no better settling could be expected. Until 
gentlemen and men of reputation separate themselves 
from such unworthy associates, betting and book-making 
must continue a mere farce." 
As we well know that a huge fortune was made in 
the betting ring by a certain person now deceased, 
who could neither read nor write, and that one of the 
heaviest bettors of the present day is in the same state 
of blessed ignorance,* we may safely conclude, that if 
* We have here, perhaps, the only instance of palpable arithmetic in 
these days ; still it is truly characteristic. The ancient Greeks kept their 
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