10 THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER. 



from behind, to propel the animal forward in his 

 gallop ; and the very lowness of the forehand may 

 throw more weight in front, and cause the whole 

 machine to be more easily and speedily moved. The 

 hind-legs of the greyhound are longer than the fore- 

 legs ; the difference is still more remarkable in the 

 hare, and it is seen in an extraordinary degree in the 

 kangaroo, an animal whose running is a series of pro- 

 digious leaps. The celebrated Eclipse, who never 

 was beaten, was remarkably low in front, his hind- 

 quarters even rising above his fore ones. As we have 

 mentioned the name of this unrivalled runner, we 

 cannot do less than give some particulars of his history. 



He was bred by the Duke of Cumberland, and sold 

 at his death to Mr. Wildman, a sheep salesman, for 

 seventy-five guineas. Colonel O'Kelly purchased a 

 share of him from Wildman. In the spring of the 

 following year, when the reputation of this wonderful 

 animal was at its height, O'Kelly wished to become 

 sole owner of him, and bought the remaining share for 

 eleven hundred guineas. 



O'Kelly, aware of his horse's powers, backed him 

 freely on his first race in 1769. This excited curio- 

 sity among sporting men ; they thought the colonel 

 must have had some extraordinary reason for betting 

 largely on a horse that no one had ever heard of 

 before, and that had not given any public proof of his 

 powers. Some persons, accordingly, tried to watch 



