BRITISH TURF. 243 



tion of visitors. Triennial musical festivals of the 

 united choirs of Gloucester, Worcester, and Here- 

 ford, are celebrated here, at which oratorios and se- 

 lections of sacred music are performed in the cathe- 

 dral, and miscellaneous concerts and balls are held in 

 the spacious room at the Shire-Hall. The theatre, 

 a neat and conveniently arranged edifice inWestgate 

 Street, is occasionally opened for dramatic per- 

 formances. 



The races take place in a meadow, on the banks 

 of the Severn, the course being an oblong of about 

 a mile and a half, with a straight run in of 400 

 yards. 



It is to be lamented that the inhabitants of this 

 fine old city should allow the attraction of their 

 races to diminish so rapidly ; for we find, that while 

 in 1837, these races lasted two days, and that in 

 addition to the members' plate of £50, five stakes 

 were run for, in 1838, only two small stakes were 

 given, in the single day's racing. Having shown 

 the resources of this prosperous city at some 

 length, it must appear evident that its inhabi- 

 tants have only to use a little exertion, to raise 

 their races to the first class among country meet- 

 ings. 



HAMPSHIRE. 



Bibury Club Meeting. — The first public men- 

 it 2 



