1^4 ON RUNNING HORSES 



before he is fufFered to race, and then, fay thefe 

 gentlemen, the joints are become perfe6lly knit, 

 and the animal fibre has acquired its higheft 

 degree of elafticity. All this reads perfeftly 

 well, and is even true in faft, but what if after 

 keeping the nag during all that long period, at 

 a vaft expence, he fhould at laft, on trial, prove 

 to have no running in him ? Why, that you had 

 better have known it two years fooner. True, 

 it has been faid, that Eclipfe owed great part 

 of his fuperlative powers to being exempt from 

 labour in his colthood. I have my doubts on 

 that head. I recoiled; an old woman's ilory 

 concerning the trial of that terrible racer. Cer- 

 tain perfons who defired to get knowledge 

 without coming honellly by it, having received 

 a hint of the morning on which it was intended 

 to try Eclipfe, refolved to watch the trial. 

 They were fome little time too late, but had 

 the good fortune to light on an old woman, 

 who gave them all the information they want- 

 ed. On enquiry whether fhe had feen a race, 

 the woman faid, " fhe could not tell whether it 

 were a race or not, but that fhe had jufl feen 

 a horfe with white legs, running away at a 

 monftrous fize, and another horfe a great way 

 behind, trying to run after him ; but fhe was 

 fure he would never catch, the white-legged 

 " horfe, if they run to the world's end." 



Yearlings are frequently trained, and even 



raced 



(f 



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