434 



THE MODERN SYSTEM 



narty rage, the pot-walloping constituents 

 voted for Mr. Hunt, and rejected the grand- 

 son of their liberal benefactor. 



Earl Derby, after the wound of such ingra- 

 titude, could not visit again the scenes of his 

 former solicitude and attention : since then, 

 the magnificent mansion has been shut up and 

 unoccupied ; the race meetings have died 

 away, the cockings have ceased. 



It may be asserted with great truth, that 

 the Earl of Derby throughout his long life 

 secured to himself a very highly influential 

 position on the turf. The proud and elevated 

 rank to which the Derby and Oaks Stakes 

 both have attained, proclaim the fact ; and 

 the decline of Preston when the bright beams 

 of his countenance and support were with- 

 drawn has shewn the value and advantage of 

 his patronage — his fostering care and solici- 

 tude : and while in early life he had raised 

 up two imoortant and ever interesting Stakes 

 in the South, which annually demand the 

 attention of the sporting spirits of the whole 

 nation, in the autumn or rather winter of his 

 days he has left us another noble monument 

 of his production and attachment in the north, 

 which contributes in an equal degree to the 

 advancement and interest of our sports ; that 

 is, the Liverpool and Aintree meeting, which 

 was produced through his individual proposi- 

 tion, aided by his support, and annually 

 honoured by his personal attendance. 



Wlierever he went, all, whether nobly born 

 or lowly bred, met his presence with the 

 feelings of reverence and love. Scarcely a 

 father's presence amid his children and his 

 home inspired more pleasure than the sight 

 of tlie Knowsley equipage at the annual festive 

 s(;enes of the Lancastrians, and the neigh- 

 bouring counties 



So far have we viewed his sporting cha- 

 racter as a supporter of the turf; but it was 

 not only in the race that his sporting soul 

 found delight : he was without question the 

 most celebrated cocker of either ancient or 

 modern days, and in this light we may say 

 never had his equal, and during his life has 

 fought more mains, and very generally suc- 

 cessfully, than any person ever known. His 

 birds, to which he was extremely partial, were 

 by judicious breeding brought to the finest 

 possible perfection ; and nothing inspired the 

 noble Lord with more pleasure and gratifica- 

 tion than the English game cock ; indeed, 

 many favourites have at time-; gained admit- 

 tance to his presence even in the splendid 

 drawinff-room at Knowslev- The first feeder 

 that the Earl of Derby employed, and which 

 is now a very long time ago, was Beesley : he 

 was succeeded by Potter the elder ; at whose 

 death, his son, the present Potter, attained 

 the post, which he has held to the present 

 time. 



The extreme age of the venerable Peer 

 would of course make the tidings of his disso- 

 lution a subject of little surprise ; but the 

 event will, with the true-bred turfman, and 

 numberless others, call forth the expressions of 

 heartfelt regret, to lose so great an ornament 

 and so powerful a supporter of the British 

 turf. 



The remains of the late Earl were interred 

 in the family vault at Ormskirk, Lancashire, 

 on Sunday the 2d of November, 18 "»4, and the 

 ceremony was attentled by an immense num- 

 ber of spectators, many of whom went in 

 carriages from Liverpool (in which place the 

 Earl was very greatly esteemed) to witness 

 it, and to pay their lest tribute of respect to 

 his memory. 



