, was honourably paid, to the day and hour.

But if ruin did not immediately come upon the young marquis, still the
wound was deadly, inflicted as though with the ferocity of a demon. In
his broken health and rapid decay sympathy was not withheld from
him; and when a premature death put an end to his sufferings, and
was speedily followed by the breaking up of his establishment and the
dispersion of his ancestral effects, most men felt that he had,
perhaps, atoned for his errors and indiscretions, whilst all united in
considering him another unfortunate victim added to the long list of
those who have sacrificed their fortune, health, and honour to the
Gambling Moloch presiding over the Turf of England.(74)

(74) The 'Odds' or probabilities of horse racing are explained in
chapter VIII., in which the entire 'Doctrine of Chances' is discussed.

Such are the leading facts of horse-racing in England. One cannot help
observing that the sturdy strength and muscular exertions of an Olympic
charioteer of old exhibit a striking contrast to the spider-like form
and emaciated figure of a Newmarket jockey.

Qui studet optatam cursu contingere metam,
Multa tulit, fecitque puer, SUDAVAT et alsit.

'Who in a race would reach the long'd-for goal,
Must suffer much, do much, in youth, indeed,
Must SWEAT and fag.'

This is literally true respecting the English jockey, whose attenuated
form is accounted for in the following dialogue in an old work entitled
'Newmarket, or an Essay on the Turf,' 1771.

'Stop, stop, OLD GENTLEMAN! I desire to speak a word to you; pray which
is the way to----.'

'I beg, sir, you will not interrupt me. I am a Newmarket jockey--am to
ride in a few days a match, upon which there is a great deal depending,
and I am now PREPARING.'

'Oh, I see now, you are a YOUNG man, instead of that old one for whom I
mistook you by your wrappings; but pray, explain.'

'Why, your Honour must know that we jockeys, in order to bring ourselves
down to the weight required for the horses we are to ride, sweat under a
load of flannel wrapped about us beneath coats and great coats, and walk
two or three miles in the heat of summer, till we are ready to faint
under our burden.'

'Indeed! Why, you go through a deal!'

'Ah, sir, a great deal indeed! Why, we sometimes lie hours and hours
between two feather-beds--to melt away our extraordinary weight.'

'But will you give me leave to examine your present d