6 RACING. 



proves worth less than 4,000 pence for racing purposes. Similar 

 instances might be multiplied. We are, however, not without 

 hope that by the careful study of the Stud Book, jointly with 

 the Calendar, some few facts may yet be gleaned tending to 

 throw a light on this vexed question. 



A comparison must also be instituted between the ancient 

 and the modern systems of racing, though, in endeavouring to 

 lay before our readers what we believe to be the truth, we must 

 confess that we approach a delicate subject with considerable 

 misgivings ; for, in order to adequately describe the racing of our 

 present time, we must freely express our views, not only on the 

 sport itself, but also on all the influences, good, bad, or in- 

 different, which are brought to bear upon it, and during this 

 process we may chance to tread upon toes more used to 

 administer kicks than to feel admonitory pressure. 



We had begun by ransacking old volumes and by having 

 recourse to the shelves of the British Museum, but when we 

 had already gone far into our subject, our attention was called 

 to a work, written, so far as history is concerned, in much the 

 same strain as that which we proposed to adopt. 



Our space being limited, we shall be forced to abridge 

 much of the detail which those who care to peruse will find in 

 the ' History of the British Turf,' by James Christie Whyte, 

 published in 1840, a book which gives a complete record up 

 to that date of matters connected with racing in this country. 

 The author has compiled a mass of interesting material from 

 ancient writers, and we propose to borrow largely from his facts 

 and occasionally to quote his ideas thereon. Like Mr. Whyte, 

 we feel that we cannot better begin our essay than by taking 

 the historical record which appeared in the ' Sporting Magazine ' 

 of 1792. The conciseness of the article will be readily ap- 

 preciated. 



It runs in the following strain : 



