3o6 CONCLUSION. 



treatment of the animals whilst under its influence ; simply 

 because I assume all people connected with racing stables 

 would understand a part of their management which admits 

 of little or no variation. 



I trust I have succeeded in being, without tediousness, ex- 

 plicit in describing racing matters to the comprehension of the 

 uninitiated as well as of the cognoscenti. I have endeavoured 

 to the best of my ability to refute the baseless and virulent 

 attacks on my profession, and to forward the cause of morality 

 in it, by exposing its errors, condemning its faults, whilst 

 giving to honour and honesty their meed of praise. The 

 result of my experience is recorded impartially, and I trust 

 intelligibly, and without the aid of rhetorical embellishment. 

 That the work has its blemishes I cannot doubt ; but I trust 

 the weight of information may be thought to outbalance 

 them, and, if I have achieved little, that the reader will 

 generously accept that little as the best I can give. The 

 words of the great moralist may, in this sense, perhaps 

 fittingly bring my labour to a conclusion, and serve at once 

 as the best apology for the attempt I have made and a plea 

 for its indulgent reception. 



" He that in the latter part of his life," says Dr. Johnson, 

 " too strictly inquires what he has done, can very seldom receive 

 from his own heart such an account as will give him satisfac- 

 tion. We do not indeed so often disappoint others as ourselves. 

 But he has no reason to repine though his abilities are small 

 and his opportunities few. He that has improved the virtue 

 or advanced the happiness of one fellow-creature ; he that 

 ascertained a single moral proposition, or added one useful 

 experiment to natural knowledge, may be content with his 

 own performance ; and with respect to mortals like himself 

 may demand, like Augustus, to be dismissed at his departure 

 with applause," 



