296 THE HORSE* 



ticklish business of commencing; an engagement on 

 the Turf. No doubt the breeding and training two 

 or three colts and fillies, may be a pleasant way of 

 losing money, but there cannot be much rational 

 expectation of winning, from an attempt on so small 

 a scale, when in the most numerous and extensive 

 studs, so few horses are bred that are really worth 

 training. The safest mode of proceeding for a begin- 

 ner, granting the term safety can be any way applied 

 to so precarious an undertaking, is to watch the 

 opportunity of purchasing at a moderate price, a 

 reputed or known runner which has not become too 

 stale from work ; such opportunities are of frequent 

 occurrence, more especially towards the end of the 

 season. The profession of betting without any con- 

 cern in training, is certainly a pleasant one ; and one, 

 which in my early youth, I had an ardent desire to 

 have adopted ; when, mirabile dictu, I had the wit 

 to discover that I was too slow to be worth training ; 

 in short, utterly unqualified for so arduous an attempt. 

 I should never, like a late commission man in the 

 betting line, have profited sufficiently to be able to 

 furnish my kitchen with solid plate saucepans and 

 gridirons. In this case particularly, the nosce teip- 

 sum is of wonderful importance. 



The late Mr. Cline, the surgeon, of the highest 

 repute in his profession, and whom I knew, in the 

 commencement of his professional career, at Guy's 

 Hospital, published some years since, a small tract 

 on breeding horses, upon which, at the time, I pub- 

 lished a few remarks. It has been the custom 

 among the periodicals, to introduce, occasionally, 



