24 O^' THE PHILOSOPHY OF SPORTS. 



exercife human wit. Their hedging ofF bets, 

 that is to fay, embracing the opportunity of a 

 favourable variation in the market rate of bet- 

 ting, which admits a balance by taking the 

 contrary fide, and infures a premium : their 

 proportional adjuflment of weight to the fize, 

 or prefumed goodnefs of the horfes ; their 

 trials ; all feem a-kin to thofe fciences which 

 afford demonftration, and have a tendency to 

 form correfcl habits of judging. It is an old 

 obfervation, that there is a degree of flirewd- 

 nefs, fagacity, and forefight, even in the boys 

 engaged in this profeihon, far fuperior to that 

 to be found in their peers of other occupations. 

 Ought it to be quelHoned, that hmilar advan- 

 tages afcend to the higher claffes ? The turf, 

 it mufl neverthelefs be allowed, is not the 

 lead dangerous fchool of philofophy ; or rather, 

 a man ought to have a good fhare of that 

 qualification, previous to any engagements' 

 thereon. 



It is to travel fomewhat out of the record, 

 to notice mere games of chance ; but I have a 

 defire to fay a few words in that relation, 

 becaufe if I have not formed an erroneous 

 judgment at laft, after much pains taken, our 

 legal rellraining fyflem is not only totally in- 

 efficient in practice, but mufl ever prove fo, 

 from being equally defe6live in principle. I 

 apprehend, all games being perfeftly harmlefs, 



fimply 



