220 THE SPORTING WORLD. 



of endurance, combined with comparative speed, 

 (for the distance) that produces such deplorable 

 suffering as is too often put in practice. Here 

 is an instance in which fixed punishments and 

 limited fine act so prejudicially to pubhc jus- 

 tice. I know it will be said the law holds it 

 improbable that a man will injure his own 

 animal ; we find, however, that he will, and 

 his own wife too. He will do the first if the 

 gain exceeds the value of the animal; the second 

 if the fear of the punishment usually awarded 

 is not so much to be dreaded as his brutal 

 nature deems the gratification of his ferocity 

 more than equivalent to. But if he did not 

 know whether the fine would be five pounds or 

 five-hundred ; or in the other case, whether the 

 term of imprisonment with hard labour would be 

 three months or three years, he would be care- 

 ful not to incur a penalty of which he did not 

 know the extent. 



I know the public feeling or opinion too 



