UPON JOCKEYS. 221 



cisely similar finish upon Jannette for the same race in 1878, 

 there is, for instance, no more difference than between the value 

 of the rationalistic speculations as to the immortality of the 

 human soul indulged in by Thales twenty-five hundred years 

 since, and those indulged in by Benjamin Franklin at the close 

 of last century. Putting revelation aside, to which Thales was 

 anterior, and in which Franklin was no believer, the earlier 

 philosopher had before him just the same evidences of design 

 in the structure of the universe, arguing the existence of a 

 Creator, as were open to the later. Thus, if we may be per- 

 mitted for a moment to compare the very little with the 

 infinitely great, there was nothing conducive to skill in horse- 

 manship which Frank Buckle, who flourished from 1783 to 

 1831, had not as much at his command as the celebrated 

 jockey who won the Two Thousand Guineas, the Epsom 

 Derby, the Grand Prix de Paris, and the Doncaster St. Leger 

 during the year 1885. We may go farther, and say that Frank 

 Buckle gifted, perhaps, with as fine a character as a pro- 

 fessional jockey ever bore was as great a favourite with our 

 predecessors of three generations since as any of his living 

 successors is with the racing world of to-day. When, in 

 1823, Buckle (for the third time) carried off the Derby and 

 Oaks, upon Mr. Udny's Emilius, and the Duke of Grafton's 

 Zinc, ' poetry,' in Pierce Egan's words, ' greeted him with her 

 landings,' which we here present to our readers : 



Though long by the beaux reduced to disgrace, 

 The Buckle's the gem, and the pride of the race. 

 P'or, lo ! this bold jockey's neat dexterous strokes 

 Have crowned him the conq'ror of Derby and Oaks ; 

 When back'd by this rider's consummate address 

 The high-mettled racer feels sure of success. 

 Eclipse was the horse of all horses that ran, 

 But whate'er be our horse, surely Buckle's the man. 

 Oh ! where is a match for a treasure so rare ! 

 Look round the wide world and ye'll ne'er find a pair ; 

 For, trained to the Turf, he stands quite alone, 

 And a pair of such Buckles was never yet known. 



