6S THE HORSE. 
I shall again return to it hereafter. I merely mention it in this place to 
show there are two sides to the question, and that on the value of the 
paternal in comparison with the maternal blood depends, not only the 
relative importance of the Byerley Turk, the Darley Arabian, and the 
Godolphin Barb, in reference to each other, but to the earlier Eastern 
strains, and more especially the two D Arcy Turks. 
HAVING GIVEN THE PepiGREES of these three celebrated horses, I shall 
now allude to their characteristics and performances, as well as those of 
one or two of their contemporaries, as detailed in the chronicles of the 
day, which, however, I am afraid are not strictly to be depended on. 
Tue Frying or DEVONSHIRE CHILDERS was a chestnut horse, with a 
white nose, and four white legs. He was bred by Mr. Childers, near 
Doncaster, and sold by him to the Duke of Devonshire. He is pictorially 
handed down to us as possessing the shape and action of a light showy 
carriage-horse, but I am afraid that the animal painters of those days are 
not much to be trusted. Fortunately two-year-old races were not then 
thought of, and Childers did not appear on the turf till April 1721, when 
he won a four-mile match for 500 guineas at Newmarket, beating the 
Duke of Bolton’s Speedwell, who also forfeited the stake to him in a 
return match made for the following October. His races were, as was the 
custom of those days, either for four or six miles, and the weights from 
8 stone 7 to 10 stone, under which he is said to have performed the 
following wonderful feats; but the timing was made with ordinary 
watches, and mistakes must undoubtedly have occurred :—About the year 
1721, he is said to have run a trial with Almanzor and the Duke of 
Rutland’s Brown Betty, carrying 9 stone 2 pounds, over the round 
course (3 miles, 4 furlongs, 93 yards), at Newmarket, in 6 minutes and 
41 seconds; and soon afterwards he ran the Beacon course (4 miles, 
1 furlong, 138 yards), under 9 stone 2 pounds, in 7 minutes and 30 seconds, 
which is about the rate of speed of our modern horses, over our shorter 
courses, and under 8 stone 7 pounds. It is therefore very doubtful 
whether the speed has not been exaggerated, and especially as we shall 
presently find a still higher rate is accorded to Matchem. He was never 
beaten. His brother Bartlett’s Childers was never trained, owing to a 
bleeding from the nostrils to which he was subject, but was at once put to 
the stud, and was the sire of numerous winners. 
Matcuem was bred by Mr. John Holon of Carlisle in the year 1748, 
but was sold as a foal to Mr. Fenwick, of Bywell, Northumberland. He, 
hike Childers, did not appear till he was five years old, when he won a 
subscription purse at York, and had a long series of successes at New- 
market, winning on one occasion, as it is said, a 50/. plate, over the B. c. 
8 stone 7 pounds, in 7 minutes and 20 seconds; but this being a greater 
performance than that of Childers, may be considered still more doubtful. 
He was subsequently beaten over the same course for the Jockey Club 
Plate, in three heats, the first being timed at 7 minutes 523 seconds ; the 
second, in 7 minutes 40 seconds; and the third, in 8 minutes 5 seconds ; 
which still further upsets the probability of his having performed the 
wonderful feat above mentioned. In 1759, he won a 50/. plate at Scar- 
borough, after which he was put to the stud, his price being at first 5 
guineas, but the success of his stock caused this to be doubled in 1765 ; 
and again, in 1770, when it was raised to 20 guineas ; the lapse of another 
five years inducing his owner to limit him to 25 mares at 50 guineas 
each. He is supposed in this way to have earned 17,000/., and in twenty- 
three years his stock won upwards of 150,000. 
