ON THE PHILOSOPHY OF SPORTS. 23 



chofen to eftablifh their utility ; and although 

 even the les^itimate and fair labour of the race- 

 horfe be great, and his excitements to aftion 

 fometimes fevere and bloody, his fliare in the 

 duties and fufferings of life, is in no refpeft dif- 

 proportionate or exceffive. But it is the pecu- 

 liar recommendation of this princely fport, that, 

 as well as diverfion, it has utility for its obje6i ; 

 and materially advances an important purpofe 

 in the ferious bufmefs of life, that of raifing 

 the mofl; beautiful aud ufeful race of horfes. 



The courfe has from very early times, been 

 the proper theatre of amufement to the mofl 

 exalted ranks of fociety, and there need no 

 laws to reflrain the middling and lower claffes 

 from engagements thereon, fince their expen- 

 fivenefs will, in general, confine fuch to their 

 proper place of ipeftators. The pleafure of 

 feeing tw^o of the mofl; elegant, fwift, and do- 

 cile of all the four-footed creation, contending 

 on equal terms the palm of fpeed and of cou^ 

 rage, is a fight worthy of a king, or even a 

 philofopher ; nor is the ufual concomitant of 

 wagering (abfl;ra6tedly fpeaking) either an irra- 

 tional or an unprofitable diverfion to the mind. 

 I fpeak here merely from obfervation, never 

 yet having had poifeflion of either the right, 

 or the opportunity, to engage in the fpecula- 

 tions of the turf; but I have ever looked upon 

 that whole fyflem as mofl: ingenious, and fit to 



exercife 



