A SPORTING JURY. 151 



for the gratification of the public. Would any man 

 suppose Powell, Oliver, M'Donough, and many others, 

 did it through fear, or from any other motive than a 

 duty they really owe to themselves, their families, and 

 friends ? I suspect those gentlemen who so obligingly 

 lay out these break-neck courses would hang back a 

 little, if, in case of accident, they were called on to 

 support a man crippled through their kindness. If I 

 had the laying out steeple-race courses, I would on 

 all occasions call in, say five known steeple-chase 

 riders who were not to ride in that particular race, 

 and take the majority of their opinions as to the fair- 

 ness of the course, or of any particular fence in it. 

 This would set the thing to rights. Nor do I con- 

 sider any man ought to be allowed to mark out a 

 course unless he be a rider himself, or would be 

 willing to ride over it. I have heard many masters 

 order their servants to ride a horse at a fence they 

 dare not attempt themselves : this may be fair enough, 

 if their fear arises from the apprehension of tumbling 

 off; but to ask a servant to ride at a place we think 

 too dangerous in itself to risk our own necks at, is, 

 I humbly conceive, neither more nor less than a 

 cowardly stretch of power. If I had repeatedly put 

 a horse at a fence, and could not get him to face it, 

 and Oliver happened to be by, I might ask him 

 (knowing him a better horseman than myself) to 

 see what he could do. This would be all fair, and 

 most probably he would succeed : at all events, I will 

 answer for him he would with perfect good humour 

 try. Half the ordinary run of men in riding at 

 fences are forced to occupy their attention in keeping 

 their seats : this gives them quite enough to do ; con- 

 sequently, steadying their horse in going to his fence, 



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