THE KACE-IIOKSE. 75 



bo pleased by the conviction that, while he was accomplishing his OAvn 

 purpose, he was breeding an animal valuable to his country. He might 

 be gratified by this reflection, yet it would not influence the system which 

 he pursued. Me tvould hreed to luin ; and he would naturally try to add 

 a little more speed to the acknowledged power. Thence came the Mam- 

 brino and the Sweet Briar, and others who had lost but little of their com- 

 pactness of form — who had got rid of a portion of that which an enemy 

 might call coarseness, but none of the capacity of the chest, or the substance 

 or the power of the muscular system — whose speed was certainly increased, 

 and whose vigour Avas not impaired. 



It is not in human nature to be satisfied even Avith perfection ; and 

 it was tried whether a little more fleetness could not be obtained. It 

 was so— and, some thought, with a shght impau-ment of stoutness. 

 There were those, and they were not altogether wrong, Avho saw in Shark 

 and Gimcrack an evident increase of speed, and little diminution of 

 streng-th. 



^ It was easy to imagine what Avould now be the result. The grand prin- 

 ciple was speed. It was taken for granted that stoutness would follow 



or rather, in the selection of the stock, stoutness was a minor consideration. 

 The result of this was a horse with an elongated frame — as beautiful as 

 his predecessors, or more so, but to the eye of the scientific man displaying 

 diminished muscles and less prominent sinews, and sharper and less power- 

 ful withers. The fleetness was all that heart could desire, but the endur- 

 ance was fearfully diminished. Irresistible proof Avas soon given of this. 

 They could not run the distances that their predecessors did with ease. 

 Heats became unfashionable — they were esteemed, and Avith too much 

 truth, severe and cmel. We might refer to the disgraceful exhibitions of 

 Chateau Margaux, and Mortgage, and Lamplighter. The necessary con- 

 sequence was that the ground run over in the ordinary matches was 

 lessened a fall half 



And was not this sufiicient to convince the man of the turf^the breeder 

 of horses for his OAvn use — Avas not this sufiicient to convince him of the 

 error Avhich he had committed ? Perhaps it was, Avith regard to those 

 Avho Avould give themselves the trouble to think. But the eiTor had been 

 committed. The all-important question was, hoAv could it be repaired ? 

 Were they to breed back again to their former stoutness ? There were 

 individuals stout and speedy, but the breed Avas gone. Beside, the short 

 race had become fashionable. It was determined in two or three minutes. 

 There Avas not the lengthened suspense of seven or eight rotations of the 

 second-hand of the watch ; and Avho could resist the omnipotence of 

 fashion? some harsh expressions have been used with regard to the 

 leading sporting characters of that time ; but Avhat poAver had they of 

 resistance ? They had bred for speed. They had obtained it. They had 

 obtained that kind of race that would be popular, for it Avas short. They 

 had no alternative, except Avith regard to the king's plates. There they 

 should have made a stand. The interests and honour of the country 

 should not have been sacrificed because they had erred. There should 

 have been something left to encourage the continuance of the old and un- 

 rivalled blood — something to fall back upon when the fashionable leaders 

 of the sporting Avorld had discovered their error. This battle, hoAvever, 

 must yet be fought. Additional reasons for it will appear when the pre- 

 sent state of the hunter and the road-horse are considered. 



There is one circumstance connected with these short races Avhich 

 perhaps has not been sufiiciently appreciated. On the old system, the 

 trueness and the stoutness of the horse would generally insure the prize to 

 him that best deserved it ; but Avith the present young horses and short 



