43 



William, by legislation, endeavoured to 

 procure improvements in the public high- 

 ways, whose condition in many parts had 

 become dangerous " by reason of the great 

 and many loads which are weekly drawn 

 through the same." The records of subse- 

 quent years, however, showed that the state 

 of the roads continued to leave much to be 

 desired. 



QUEEN ANNE (1702-1714). 



The arrival in England of the Darley 

 Arabian in 1706 was a fit opening of 

 the era of prosperity on the Turf which 

 dawned in Anne's time. The Queen, from 

 the beginning of her reign, evinced her 

 desire to promote racing, and added several 

 royal plates to those already in existence at 

 the instance, says Berenger,* of her consort, 

 Prince George of Denmark, who is said to 

 have been exceedingly fond of the Turf. 

 A writer in the Sporting Magazine of 1810 

 gives the following account of the circum- 

 stances under which the royal plates were 

 given : 



* The History and Art of Horsemanship. By Richard 

 Berenger, London, 1771. 



