BRITISH TURF. 5G5 



cock's recommendation, I was put under the care 

 of Jack Clarke, who lived with Captain Vernon, 

 he having luckily a led horse, which I was to 

 mount. 



" The day of parting with my father, and of 

 beginning our journey, was an anxious one. He 

 could not too emphatically repeat the few well- 

 meant precepts he had so often given me, nor I 

 too earnestly assure him, I would love and obey 

 him all my life. Notwithstanding his severity, he 

 was passionately fond of me, my heart entered 

 into the same feelings, and there was great and 

 unfeigned affection between us. 



*' As is the custom in travelling with trained 

 horses, we set off early, and walked without hurry. 

 When we stopped to breakfast, the plenty of excel- 

 lent cold beef, bread and cheese, with the best table 

 beer, and as much as we pleased, gave me a foretaste 

 of the fortunate change I had made. This, indeed, 

 exceeded my utmost expectations — I was entering 

 upon a new existence — was delighted, full of 

 hope and cheerful alacrity, yet too timid to be 

 presumptuous." 



The next extract is full of interest ; nothing can 

 be more touching than language in wdiich the 

 author contrasts his life as a stable-boy with that 

 he had previously led. 



" There are few trades or professions, each of 

 which has not an uniform mode of life peculiar to 

 it, subject only to such shght variations as are 



