48 A GODSEND TO THE LEGS. 



more patience, and less whip during the race. They 

 would improve much under the discipline : but as 

 they would not probably submit to be severely 

 whipped, I suppose their poor horses must. Such 

 men as Lord Howth, General Gilbert, Captain Pettat, 

 Mr. Kent, Mr. White, and some others, are excep- 

 tions : they are of course excluded from my flogging 

 speculation ; but for God's sake give it to scores of 

 others I could name con amore that is, if you can ! 

 This would be justice not cruelty. 



Steeple-racing is a description of sport for which 

 we are chiefly indebted to Ireland for its introduction 

 here ; and certainly if a medium had been wanting 

 through which robbery could be effected with more 

 impunity and less chance of detection than by any 

 other mode of racing, our debt of obligation to the 

 Sister Isle is very heavy indeed. Racing in the old 

 and legitimate way was, is, and probably ever will be, 

 bad enough in this particular ; but here a good deal of 

 nice tact and contrivance is wanting to bring the thing 

 off without being too glaring ; and even then, detection 

 very often, and suspicion always, follows the perpe- 

 trators. But steeple-racing opens a field to the 

 veriest bungler in the art of gentlemanlike robbery 

 and rascality. How any man in his senses can sport 

 his money on such an event (unless he is one of a 

 gang) strikes me with perfect astonishment, for here 

 all judgment, all knowledge of the relative powers of 

 horses, all calculation on former running is thrown 

 away. The casualties incident to Steeple-racing set 

 all this at defiance, even supposing that all was in- 

 tended (which it seldom or ever is) to be fair. In 

 racing over the course, good judgment will in the 

 long run stand our friend : here the casualties are, in 



