THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



fact, I have no liesitation in saying, that not only does a cock- 

 pit include more natural talent, in the rough, than any other 

 place in which men of all descriptions are given to congregate 

 but that, unless a man be a man of talent, he has no business 

 to enter one.' 



Frank listened attentively to this somewhat philosophical 

 description of cocking and the cockpit, and whether or not 

 he became a cocker will hereafter be shown. He, however, 

 reminded Hargrave that the late Mr. Wyndham — then in the 

 zenith of his reputation, as one of our distinguished senators, 

 and distinguished also for his liunianity — had given it as his 

 opinion that the conflict between inferior animals incited the 

 courage of a nation ; and, in support of his hypothesis, availed 

 himself of the character of the English people, who, he said, 

 have ever been as remarkable for courage, or what is vulgarly 

 called ' pluck,' as for their predilection for such conflicts, cock- 

 fighting especially. 



The first public exhibition of our hero, during his residence 

 at Christchurch, was on Burford race-course, in Oxfordshire, on 

 which was held what was called the Bibury meeting, continued 

 (though in very diminished form) to the present time. But 

 these were Bibury 's very best days. In addition to the en- 

 couragement given to it by the patronage and presence of 

 George iv., then Prince of Wales, who was received by the Earl 

 of Sherborne, for the week, at his seat in the neighbourhood, 

 and who every day made his appearance on the course as a 

 private gentleman, on his favourite cropped roan hack, of 

 which he was as fond as the impetuous Hotspur of his ' crop- 

 ear roan,' which, in an equestrian transport, he called his 

 ' throne,' with merely a groom in attendance, and in familiar 

 conversation with all who had the privilege of addressing him, 

 there was a galaxy of gentlemen jockeys, who alone rode at 

 this meeting, which has never since been equalled. Amongst 

 them were the present Duke of Dorset, who always rode for the 

 Prince ; His Grace's brother, the late Hon. George Germain ; 

 the late Mr. Delme Radclifle— who had the management of 

 His Royal Highness's racing stud, until his decease as George 

 IV. ; — the late Lords Charles Somerset and Milsington, and 

 Lord Delamere, then Mr. Cholmondele}' ; Sir Tatton Sykes, 

 then Mr. Sykes ; Messrs. Hawkes, Bullock, Worral, George 

 Pigot Lindow, Lowtli, Musters, Probyn, etc., all first-raters, 



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