THE RACE-HORSE. 569 



contest, the north country gentlemen betting on Hamble- 

 tonian, who was Yorkshire born, and the Newmarket gentle- 

 men as freely taking the odds in favour of his rival. In this 

 contest the blood of Eclipse prevailed over that of Herod, and 

 Sir Henry Vane Tempest, with just feeling, would never per- 

 mit his noble horse to hazard his honours by entering the 

 lists again. We find also living, or lately living, in our own 

 times, amongst the supporters of the turf, the names of the 

 Dukes of Grafton, Cleveland, Richmond, Rutland, Portland ; 

 the Marquises of Westminster, Exeter, Conyngham, and 

 Sligo ; the Earls of Egremont, Burlington, Warwick, Veru- 

 lam, Chesterfield, Sefton, Jersey, Lichfield, Albemarle, Wil- 

 ton ; the Lords Lowther, Wharncliff, Suffield ; Sir Francis 

 Standish, Sir Mark Wood, Sir J. Shelley, Sir Gilbert Heath- 

 cote ; Generals Grosvenor and Gower ; Colonels Peel and 

 Wilson ; Messrs Wilson, Wyndham, Rouss, and great num- 

 bers more, recorded in the sporting annals of the times ; and 

 even if we could exhaust the list of those who are chiefly 

 found at the great courses, as Newmarket, Epsom, Ascot, 

 Doncaster, we should have a catalogue behind of those who 

 confine themselves to what may be called the provincial 

 courses, and then we should have those who, without keep- 

 ing regular racing studs, rear thoroughbred horses, and bring 

 them from time to time upon the turf. 



The classes referred to are the legitimate supporters of 

 this system of amusement. They bet upon the result ; but 

 the bet, generally speaking, may be regarded as secondary 

 and subservient to the sport. But the sport involves not 

 merely the contest for victory in the race, but the contest of 

 judgment on the merits of the rival horses, and on the chances 

 of success or failure. No mode except the bet has been de- 

 vised, or appears suitable, for this purpose, and hence it has 

 become an integral part of the system. The bet, however, 

 may degenerate into abuse, and connect with the business of 

 the turf persons whose sole end is gain, and who avail them- 

 selves of the recognised usages of betting to make the sys- 



