A HISTORY Of THE ENGLISH TURF. 



records, in October, 1838, "died like a hero, with a firmness, courage, and cheerful- 

 ness which would have been extolled to the skies in some conspicuous character on 

 whom the world has been accustomed to gaze, but which in the poor jockey-boy 

 passed unheeded and unknown, and it is only the few as obscure as himself who 

 witnessed his last moments who are aware that, wherever his bones rest 



'In that neglected spot is laid 

 A heart once pregnant with celestial fire.' " 



For thirty or forty years the famous house near Epsom where Greville was 

 staying in 1833 had been "the resort of all our old jockeys," and then it was 

 occupied by the sporting portion of the Government. Here is the Secretary's 

 catalogue of guests : " Lord Grey and his daughter, Duke and Duchess of 

 Richmond, Lord and Lady Errol, Althorp, Graham, Uxbridge, Charles Grey, Duke 

 of Grafton, Lichfield, and Stanley's brothers. It passed off very well racing all 

 the morning, an excellent dinner, and whist and blind hookey all the evening. It 

 was curious to see Stanley. Who would believe they beheld the orator and 

 statesman, only second, if second, to Peel in the House of Commons, and on 

 whom the destiny of the country depends? There he was as if he had no 

 thoughts but for the Turf, full of the horses, interest in the lottery, eager, 

 blunt, noisy, good-humoured, ' has meditans nugas et totus in illis ; ' at night 

 equally devoted to play, as if his fortune depended on it. Thus can a man relax 

 whose existence is devoted to great objects and serious thoughts." 



It may be added to Greville's reflections that it is on just such relaxation that 

 the most hard-working men depend, not only for attaining "serious thoughts," 

 but even for keeping a hold upon " existence." 



Twenty years afterwards Greville noted a similarly pleasant party at Goodwood. 

 " Glorious weather," he wrote, " and the whole thing very enjoyable ; a vast deal 

 of great company : Duke of Cambridge, Duke of Mecklenburg, Duke of Parma, 

 Duke of Saxe- Weimar, father of Prince Edward. Derby was there not in his 

 usual uproarious spirits, chaffing and laughing from morning till night, but more 

 sedate than is his wont." It is even more interesting to compare Greville's 

 account of the political situation in which all that racing party were so interested, 

 in 1852, with the politics of 1902. The rtsumt of fifty years ago was, "roughly, 

 about 300 Derbyites, thoroughgoing supporters ; 50 or 60 that cannot be reckoned 

 as belonging to either party ; and the rest divided into various sections of opposition 

 and greatly at variance with each other, except in a common sentiment of aversion 



