EFFECTS OF LAVISH GIFTS TO CHILDREN. 163 
almost of a manumitted slave, their masters, who often 
are their only real friends. 
The system of lavish gifts to jockeys who are no more than 
children is one of the gravest errors of the present day. 
We remember, as one early instance of this, how Captain 
Scott, looked up to and worshipped as a modern Crcesus, 
used freely to reward boys on the least success, whether that 
success resulted from merit or accident; a misguided bounty 
as ruinous to the lads as it was to himself. Even grown 
men are not always proof against the fascinations of pros- 
perity ; for we see instances, happily few I grant, of jockeys 
winning more than one Derby and other great races in almost 
unbroken succession, and thus rapidly amassing large for- 
tunes, only to fall beneath the weight, consigning themselves 
through intemperance and negligence to wretchedness and 
to the poverty from which they had so lately emerged. 
Gentlemen would do well to think twice before placing 
such temptations in the way of boys. If gifts be made to the 
deserving, let the money be given in proper keeping until 
the lads are old enough to appreciate the value of’ the 
present ; when it would be of service to them, and its donor 
remembered with gratitude. 
“ The world,” it is said, “has not yet learned the riches of 
frugality.” It is to be feared that movement in this respect is 
rather retrograde than progressive. I am bound to say, that 
in my opinion much of the misbehaviour of our light-weight 
jockeys has its rise in the extravagant presents made them by 
owners of winning horses—at least tenfold what they merit or 
indeed should receive. Latent presumption is thus turned to 
impudence, exhibited to any and to all who are not ina posi- 
tion, or, asa matter of principle, decline to pay on the same 
absurd scale. 
M 2 
