562 HISTORY OF THE 



himself, and continued to the time of his death, 

 from his diary ; with notes and other papers by 

 Hhe late Wm. Hazlitt.* 



Born of obscure parents, Holcroft's childhood 

 was passed in such utter poverty, that even the 

 situation of stable-boy was deemed an important 

 change for the better ; and although that part of 

 his diary which describes his life in this humble 

 situation may be looked upon by many of his 

 readers with contempt, to the sportsman it must 

 ever be full of interest ; for not only does it afford 

 a complete picture of the order of the day of that 

 era in the racing stables, but at the same time 

 gives us a complete insight into the life and cha- 

 racteristics of the stable-boy, from the pen of one 

 in every way qualified for the purpose. 



During the races at Nottingham in 1760, Hol- 

 croft's youthful mind was strongly taken with the ex- 

 citement of these amusements. In his own words : — 



" These different incidents had raised a strong 

 desire in my mind to be better acquainted with a 

 subject that had given to me, and as I thought to 

 every body, so much emotion, and I began to 

 consider what might be done. At that time I was 

 rather a burthen to my father than a help. I be- 



the comedies of "The Road to Ruin," "Tlie Deserted Daughter," 

 " Duplicity," &c. His best prose works are his " Travels in France," 

 " Anna St. Ives," and " Hugh Trevor." 



* Memoirs of the late 'lliomas Holcroft, in 3 vols., edited by Wm. 

 Hazhtt, published by Longman and Co., Paternoster Row, 1816. 



