The Life of a Great Sportsman 



monarchs, King Charles the Second, who, not content with 

 merely looking on, frequently rode himself in races of his own 

 promotion. He it was who founded a race meeting at Burford, 

 in Oxfordshire, in reality the origin of the Bibury Club, which, 

 afterwards transferred to Stockbridge, became the favourite 

 battle ground of all the best gentlemen riders in the kingdom, 

 and though still in existence, is, alas ! but a shadow of its 

 former self; thanks to the disappearance of the old-time 

 meeting at Stockbridge, for which Salisbury is but a sorry 

 substitute. 



Another favourite meeting, too, long since done away with, 

 was that of the Liverpool Hunt Club at Hoylake, in Cheshire, 

 at which all our best amateurs over a country invariably 

 sported silk. 



Then, again, there was Lord Wilton's own meeting at 

 Hooton Park, where he himself, one of the finest horsemen of 

 his or any other time, riding as " Mr. Clarke," was always very 

 much en evidence. 



The Hoo and Gorhambury Races, too, in Bedfordshire and 

 Hertfordshire respectively, the latter being held in Lord 

 Verulam's Park, at which Mr. Delme Radcliffe, a splendid 

 horseman on the flat, and a great personal friend of George 

 the Fourth, for whom he frequently rode, was the ruling spirit, 

 must not be forgotten. 



Meanwhile Croxton Park still flourishes like a green bay- 

 tree, and the Southdown Club goes on its way rejoicing, if not 

 quite so strong as formerly. 



Given opportunity and encouragement, I believe gentlemen 

 riders would be quite as prolific as ever they were, and it was 

 the knowledge of the great interest taken in amateur horse- 

 manship, not only in the past, but the present time, that was 

 our principal inducement for producing this book. 



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