230 HORSE-RACING IN FRANCE 



Lord Falmouth has spoken, and other sportsmen, of no less 

 weight, have followed his banner and enrolled themselves on his 

 side. Lord Vivian, Lord Hardwicke, and Admiral Rous have 

 declared that, exceptionally and for this once, England would 

 do well to drop her liberal policy so as to exclude us from her 

 horse races. What current of ideas has impelled the noble 

 patrons of the English Turf to this course ? 



Undoubtedly, in London as well as in Paris, there is no lack 

 of vulgar simpletons who, under a false idea of patriotism, can- 

 not endure the notion of being beaten by a foreigner, even in a 

 friendly contest. When Gladiateur won the Derby, the mob at 

 Epsom was highly displeased ; there was a ferment among the 

 folks who get red in the nose at the slightest provocation, and 

 a cry at once arose to the effect that for a French-bred colt to 

 beat the English ' cracks ' there must have been some sorcery 

 or fraud employed. There was but one cry heard from the 

 gorse at Tattenham corner, that Gladiateur was a four-year- 

 old! 



The same disappointment was displayed last year, and the 

 same puerile accusations greeted the victory of Kisber, bred at 

 an Austrian stud. 



I repeat that the mob raised an outcry, and could ill digest 

 the defeat of the home-bred champions. But in the higher 

 circles of the Turf, where people are gentlemen before every- 

 thing, not the slightest sign of displeasure was allowed to 

 appear. In both cases the exceptional victories of two friendly 

 nations were received with applause. That was perfectly well 

 understood in France and appreciated among the higher classes, 

 of whom the English have certainly never had to complain 

 when they have come over to win the Grand Prix de Paris 

 from us. . . . 



In these latter years, it is true, we have been rather more 

 lucky, and some slight successes have given us the measure of 

 our progress in horse-breeding. 



Finally, last autumn we made a far more brilliant show, and 

 the laurels gathered by Chamant and Jongleur have begun to 

 rather trouble the peaceful slumbers of our friendly neighbours. 



Now, what is the exact meaning of Lord Falmouth's pro- 

 posal ? Is it really reciprocity that he asks of us, and does he 



