THE HORSE. 77 



come from the bottom but the edges of the hoof. In 

 the dry season to which I refer, there was a sweep- 

 stakes over Epsom, ridden by officers of the Guards ; 

 a majority of those gentlemen, I hope, are now living 

 to read my little book. They went to the expense of 

 daily water carts for the course, from Tattenham's 

 Corner in, but with very little effect. 



Now for a very notable contrast. The last season 

 (1828) was so wet that several race courses, for a 

 considerable length, were almost gentium terms, knee- 

 deep in mud and water, not only to the ample va- 

 riegation of ornament in the jackets, and caps, and 

 leathers of the jockeys, but to the equally ample 

 saturation of their eyes, noses, and mouths ; in an 

 especial manner to those in a sweepstakes, who, from 

 duty or necessity, were compelled to follow ! I ap- 

 peal to those jockeys who had to stand, or rather sit 

 all this, for the sweet recollection. Now, why should 

 not I dash at a new discovery as well as so many of 

 my contemporaries ? I recommend to some ingeni- 

 ous optician to contrive globular racing spectacles, to 

 be fastened upon the rider's head, as a defence to the 

 eyes for occasions like the above ; since it is obvious 

 that the hand of the jockey would be less painfully 

 and more profitably employed in wiping his artificial, 

 than his natural ogdes. What a curious and novel 

 sight would be a sweepstakes of half a score, the 

 jockeys all spectacled ! 



