THE SPORTING WORLD. 187 



ever on tlie watch for such purpose. Here the 

 better stands forth in all his hideousness. But 

 again, not a whit more black than the banker, 

 the railway projector, or the plotter of schemes 

 to influence the funds. 



To rescue the better from some of the 

 obloquy thrown on him by the anti-sporting 

 world, let me, in justice to him, bring forward 

 a part of his general conduct in some degree 

 palliative of the infamous part of it. He, in 

 most cases, pays his debts ; at least his racing 

 ones. I have frequently heard it observed in 

 the very few cases in which betting may be 

 behindhand in so doing, " How could you think 

 of betting with such a fellow ? had you betted 

 with a gentleman I should merely regret your 

 not getting your money, but in this case I 

 must say you are rightly served." 



Now, without, for one moment, meaning to 

 impugn the honor of gentlemen, or to assign a 

 superabundancy of it to the better, I must in 



