THE PROGRESS OF THE SPORT. 55 



sessions, corporations, boards of guardians, or vestries, has not 

 yet been clearly manifested to the expectant community. 



To ordinary minds, however, it seems that the only bene- 

 ficial method by which Parliament could exercise a control over 

 racing would be that of bestowing some form of incorporation 

 on the Jockey Club, and having thus asserted 'its supremacy, 

 the Legislature might well leave the general management and 

 direction of turf matters in the hands of that body, which for 

 a hundred and thirty years has held an undisputed authority, 

 which now rules over many thousands of the inhabitants of 

 the kingdom, and whose laws and regulations, obeyed and 

 respected here, receive the sincere flattery of imitation from 

 other countries. 



