On extravagant Bets or Wagers. "I maintain," says Lord Erskine, "that no nan, without being guilty of wilful premeditated and wanton cruelty, can put the strength and indurance of his horse, upon this uncertain and mercenary die, whether in races against time, or rather journeys of great distances within limited periods, the exertions very far exceed the ordinary power which nature has bestowed on the unhappy creature, thus wickedly and inhumanly perverted from the benevolent purposes of their existence—Speech, May 15, 1809.
"Two horses started, April 16, 1793, at White-chapel-church, to proceed 100 miles, that is, to the fifty mile-stone Colchester and back again, in twelve hours. On their return, one of them died at Boreham, the 32d mile-stone, having performed 68 miles of the journey. The other crawled through Chelmsford, with a lad on his back, and died at Widford, the 27th mile-stone, falling short 23 miles." Sherborne Weekly Entertainer, May 27, 1793.
Mr. W⸻'s mare, Tuneful, who has bolted every race she ever ran before, was Tuesday last rode at Newmarket, in winkers, with her tongue tied with whipcord, &c. Salisbury and Winchester journal, April 13, 1801.
At the Harlow Bush fair on Wednesday, a poney, about twelve hands high, was engaged for a wager to run 100 miles in twelve hours. The little animal went sixty miles in six hours, but at the 80th it's heart broke, and it fell down dead." Bell's Messenger, Sep, 21, 1801.
On monday last, a great number of people, from various parts, assembled on the road between Bridgwater and Bristol, being the spot fixed on for determining a wager on the exertions of a horse, which
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