CONTENTS. XV11 



sportive ideas. Melton Mowbray the head quarters of fox 

 hunting. Wonderful spring of Lord Alvanley's hunter, Chester- 

 field. Apologetical address of the author to his sporting readers. 

 Baret quoted on the wild goose chase, p. 256—260. 



SECTION XXXIX. p. 261. 



Sport of the Turf, its high antiquity. Chiefly directed, in ancient 

 times, to warlike purposes. Both chariot and horse races. An- 

 cient crossing and jostling. Heats four miles, the course pur- 

 posely rendered irregular with obstructions interspersed, one of 

 which was a frightful scarecrow god. The magnificent racing 

 system of the Eastern Emperors, and their noble principle of 

 compassion towards animals. The author's visit to Shaftoe's 

 Squirrel. Racing in England traceahle to the eleventh century. 

 Prices of racers in the fourteenth. Origin of the present system 

 in the reign of James the First, or between that and of Charles 

 the Second. The thorough bred racer. Error of the late Dr. 

 Parry and others. Breeds of the Levant. The Arab and Barb 

 of the Desert, the original courser. Early prejudice against the 

 Arabians, a curious fact not being well known. Dismal of intire 

 foreign blood. Arabian plate at Newmarket. Inferiority of the 

 new blood. Uncertainty in the whole racing system. Foreign 

 stallions of late years, in utter neglect on the turf. A new 

 attempt with three Arabians, p. 261 — 267. 



SECTION XL. p. 267. 



Maximum of the racer's speed. Firetail and Pumpkin. Matchem 

 timed over the Beacon Course. Childers over the Round Course. 

 Immense increase of the business of the Turf. Examples. The 

 race horse the most useful of the species. Vernon's Amelia, her 

 match at carrying weight with the miller's horse. Bullock's 

 cantering hack. Great size of some of our racers. Query as to 

 our having of late receded some points, in respect to form and 

 goodness, below the former standard. Present racers too lofty 

 and too leggy. Observator, his annual remarks. Sir Charles 

 Bunhurys opinion. Dr. Syntax, and Old Damper. Stallions 

 covering whilst in training — Hobgoblin, Babram, Dorimant. 

 A revival of that custom recommended. Falsestarts. A remedy. 

 Race course police. Exemplary at Epsom and Ascot. His 

 R. H. the Duke of Sussex. Posts on race courses. Death of 

 * Little Wicked,' a favourite lad of Lord Ossory. Great colt 

 stakes, 1777, won by the jockey's head piece. Racing mania 

 upon the Continent. Fiance yet in the back ground. The 

 Doncaster St. Ledger. New stand at Epsom. Exertions of 

 Mr. Maberlv. Short races most prevalent. Racing of Cock- 

 tails and Hunters. Lord March's Rocket gelding, jockied of 

 oid by Dick Goodisou, ' Slow good ones,' good seconds and 



