■ THE BROTHERS STEBBING. 279 



do not possess, and which are only to be found in the 

 imaginations of admirers more foolish than them- 

 selves. This is by no means an over-drawn picture, 

 but a plain fact that may be seen every day of one's 

 life ; only to make us exclaim, ' Can such things be, 

 and overcome us like a summer's cloud, without our 

 special wonder ?' 



In the training of racehorses this anomaly has been 

 seen in more instances than one, in which professors 

 guiltless of the rudimentary principles of their pro- 

 fession have been successful beyond expectation. In 

 these cases, it is true, the success has not been of a 

 permanent nature ; yet, whilst it lasted, brilliant 

 enough to have given them credit before the world 

 for qualities which they never possessed. Of a few 

 such men I propose to give some account. The 

 brothers Stebbing — William and Henry — deserve 

 notice in this way. Their father lived at Newmarket, 

 and for many years was a barber. It was here the 

 sons were brought up, if they did not in early life 

 take part in the same business. William very soon 

 became an adept in the mysterious art of betting ; 

 and his successes enabled him to join a brother pro- 

 fessional, Mr. B. Green, in forming a racing stud, 

 with his brother Henry acting as trainer. Hamble- 

 ton, in Yorkshire, was the place selected for the 

 purpose. The confederacy commenced racing with a 

 small stud in 1846, about the time Lord George 

 Eentinck left the turf. In the following year this 



