44 



therefore require three hundred and thirty such strides, to 

 accomphsh the proposed distance ; and the loss of one inch 

 only upon each stride would give a total loss upon the 

 whole distance of three hvindred and thirty inches, or nine 

 yards and six inches ; equal to rather more, than three 

 lengths of a horse sixteen hands high ; but suppose the loss 

 of distance to be four inches upon each stride, which it is 

 much more likely to be, then the loss would be thirty six 

 yards and two feet, or thirteen lengths ; fully enough to 

 raise a cry of " foul play," " tlie horse is amiss," &c. Now 

 no jockey in the world, however frequently he may have 

 ridden a horse, could so exactly measure his stride, as to 

 be enabled to detect a deficiency of one seventy second part 

 of it, which four inches would be ; much less could he 

 detect the two hundred and eighty eighth part of it, which 

 one inch woidd be ; so that he could never make himself 

 accj[uainted with the real cause of so signal and unexpected 

 a defeat ; and the whole matter would remam involved in 

 mystery, casting suspicion and distrust on all around. 



How commonly do we hear, that a horse performed his 

 last gallop at a much better pace, than he ran his race ; 

 and what a catalogue of causes are conjured up, to account 

 for the falling off in his speed, not one of which in all 

 probability liad any thing to do with the matter. It would 

 most likely be found, that he had taken his gallop in shoes, 

 to which his feet had become accustomed ; but he ran his 

 race in new plates, firmly nailed from heel to heel, "making 

 him quite safe," by putting it out of the range of possibility, 

 that he should ever be enabled to " get into his best pace ;" 



