216 THE SPORTING WORLD. 



against such performance ; to ensure this he 

 must either get a pony or some cripple of 

 a horse for the purpose, that from size or in- 

 feriority seems quite incapable of the performance; 

 or he must increase the distance so much that 

 nothing but an almost or quite dying effort of 

 the animal enables him to perform it. So long 

 as an animal can perform any feat without un- 

 mitigated barbarity being exercised, so long will 

 the match-maker increase his task till he is 

 called upon to perform one (probably his last) 

 that nothing short of such suffering as human- 

 ity shudders to contemplate, enables him to 

 perform, perhaps a second or two within 

 time, and a minute or two, or hour or two, 

 as the case may be, before death in mercy 

 relieves him of a master possessing feelings that 

 justly render him execrated by any one with an 

 attribute worthy the name of man. 



It is not for me to speak disrespectfully 

 of our laws, but they, in one particular. 



