SECOND PERIOD : GEORGE HI. 8t 



a suspicion gradually ripening into the open 

 contempt with which the 'son of the desert' 

 is now regarded from certain important points 

 of view, though he still maintains his claim to 

 admiration in others. For in 1782 was estab- 

 lished at Newmarket the Cumberland Stakes for 

 two-year-olds, whereof one of the conditions was 

 that an allowance of weight should be made to 

 the immediate progeny of 'Arabians' and some 

 other horses specially mentioned ; and it is 

 worthy of notice that since the foundation of 

 the St. Leger, Oaks, and Derby, no great race 

 has been won by the immediate offspring of 

 ' Arabians,' though importation of the breed has 

 never entirely ceased even to this day. 



The reign of George III., during which the 

 turf had rest from legislation, witnessed a great 

 change in the aspect presented by what had been 

 ' the sport of kings,' the birth of what is now 

 familiar as that overgrown monster, the ' ring,' 

 and the descent upon our shores of the now 

 annual and habitual foreigner as a competitor on 

 our race-courses. 



It has been observed already that the mischie- 

 vous statute of Queen Anne had tended to put 



6 



