AND THE TURF. I75 



graphs of the above tendency, may be clafled 

 thoie congenial ones, which, at leaft during 

 every unfortunate period of war and diftrefs, 

 announce the decHne of the turf, and forebode, 

 with exultation, its approaching ruin. It was 

 nothing uncommon, even in regular and au- 

 thentic prophefying times, for two prophets, 

 equally well-bred, to predi6l clean contrary 

 things ; and I will be bold to foretell the in- 

 CREASE, inftead of the decline of horfe-racing. 

 Never were fo many bred flallions kept in Eng- 

 land as at prefent, never was Newmarket better 

 attended than at the late meetings. 



Horfe racing is of confiderable antiquity in 

 this ifland, and may be traced as far back as the 

 eleventh century, but did not begin to put on 

 any regulated form until the acceffion of the 

 Houfe of Stuart, moft of the princes of which 

 entertained great partiality for the fport, as has 

 been already remarked. Newmarket began to 

 be frequented previoufly to the Civil War ; but 

 in the reign of Charles II. encouraged by the 

 prefence of the monarch and his favourites, it 

 fnone forth in full glory : every body knows it 

 now, by common fame, as the head-quarters of 

 the turf. Frequent meetings, at flated periods, 

 are there held, and the fport generally conti- 

 nues throughout the week ; there are about 

 fourfcore places befides, in England, where 

 races are annually held ; in fome twice in the 



year. 



