THE SPORTING WORLD. 199 



statesmen more astute or more moral than 

 those of other countries, we may fairly pre- 

 sume that if Government profitted by the 

 people gambling they might carry on gambling 

 to their heart's content, or rather discontent, 

 as Hamlet says — 



<' This the respect that makes calamity of so long life." 



This the touchstone that influences our legis- 

 lators on any question as to the upholding 

 or crushing any public inconvenience. Will 

 either measure be gratifying or profitable to 

 themselves or the Government they represent? 

 On this its existence and encouragement, or, 

 on the other hand, its annihilation is deter- 

 mined on. 



The character we have in hand having 

 stood certainly in an equivocal position, was 

 stopped in his career, (and perhaps wisely so) ; 

 but there are hundreds of characters holding 

 themselves as honest men much worse than 



