134 A MIRROR OF THE TURF. 



that he found Lord George in the library of the 

 House of Commons with a book in his hand, but 

 " looking disturbed." His resolutions in favour 

 of the colonial interest, after all his labours, had 

 been negatived by the committee on the 22nd, 

 and on the 24th his horse, Surplice, which he had 

 parted with among the rest of his stud solely that 

 he might pursue, without distraction, his work 

 on behalf of the great interests of the country, 

 had won that paramount and Olympian stake to 

 gain which had been the object of his life. He 

 had nothing to console him and nothing to sustain 

 him, except his pride. Even that deserted him 

 before a heart which he knew at least would yield 

 him sympathy. He gave a sort of superb groan : 

 " All my life I have been trying for this, and for 

 what have I sacrificed it ? " he murmured. It 

 was in vain to offer solace. " You do not know 

 what the Derby is," he moaned out. " Yes, I do, 

 it is the Blue Ribbon of the Turf" 



In London Derby Day is in many respects 

 a holiday ; thousands of even the most industrious 

 men of business journey to Epsom to obtain a 

 peep at the chief event of the racing year. Even 

 the House of Commons either contrives to adjourn 

 expressly for the day, or so manages that it is not 

 sitting on that particular occasion. 



The Derby Day, with its attendant incidents, 

 has been so often described that there is little or 

 nothing left to say which can be endowed with 

 the form of novelty. Writers, grave and gay, 

 have written accounts of the great race and its 

 surroundings from many points of view. What 

 has been seen on the way to Epsom Downs has 

 been over and over again described in graphic 



