7' 2 A HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH TURF. 



remain, I can easily forgive. To attempt a History of Racing on the English 

 Turf is a task that involves dealing with facts known to many inveterate partisans 

 in as many different lights. If any single man could have been qualified to write 

 it as it should have been written, that man perhaps was Francis Lawley. Even 

 then the critical connoisseur might have been unhappy without a dash of " The 

 Druid's " cleanly and humorous enthusiasm, a seasoning of Charles Greenwood's 

 judicial accuracy, some of the character-drawing of a Thackeray, some of the 

 genealogical knowledge of a Joseph Osborne, some of the antiquarian research 

 of J. P. Hore, a few of the anecdotes of Edward Spencer, a little of the practical 

 experience of Morny Cannon, some of the traditional lore of a Weatherby or a 

 Tattersall. Such a galaxy of talent exists no longer within a single brain ; and 

 the present writer is but too well aware of his own deficiencies in the task of 

 attempting such a survey of Racing as is contained in these pages. It is a labour 

 that must inevitably obscure what is beloved by some in order to record what 

 should be remembered by all. And now that I have "caught the judge's eye," 

 I may confess that I carried more weight than I ever imagined at the start. 

 Between one Oaks day and the next I was prevented writing anything by the 

 untimely ingratitude of one of the mares whose relations I was busy chronicling. 

 At the best, I had to make my living by journalism while I gave my leisure to 

 the book that is now done. But I am content to have attempted it, and such 

 as it is I leave it with regret. 



March i, 1904. 



A Roman racer. 



From a GrKco-Roman gem of the first century A.D., 

 in the possession of Mr. C. Newton-Robinson. 



FINIS. 



