212 ON RUNNING HORSES 



from the exercife of the keener faculties of 

 the mind ? A jaft difcrimination here, as well 

 as elfewhere, mud be our moral guide. Strata- 

 gems are furely lawful in horfe-racing, as well 

 as in love and war. I fhall not dilate, or phi- 

 lofophize much on this head, but touch imme- 

 diately on a material point, and that lightly. 

 It is inconfiflent with the honour of a fporting 

 gentleman, to ftart his horfe with the intention 

 of lofmg ? In my opinion, by no means ; I 

 hold it to be a manoeuvre, in which is involved 

 much of the general intereft of fporting, and 

 which ought to be efteemed legitimate, with 

 the provifo, that no cruel or unfair methods are 

 ufed to com.pafs it. A fportfman may want a 

 good trial for his horfe, the flate of his betting 

 account may require the meafure, or he may 

 have fome future heavy engagement, for the 

 fake of which it might not be fafe previoufly 

 to diflrefs his horfe, although an eafy race 

 might conduce to his own pleafure and profit. 

 The matter being univerfally thus underftood, 

 would make the point of honour clear, which 

 is perhaps at prefent rather dubious. What a 

 curious and entertaining match would be that, 

 between two eager candidates for lofing? I 

 have heard of barbarous and rafcally methods 

 being put in pradice to incapacitate a horfe, 

 fuch as giving drugs, or filling his body with 

 water near the time of darting, but not amongft 



gentlemen ; 



