CHAPTKIi XII 



ASCOT AFFAIRS 

 Excussus propriis aliena negotia curat 



Every Master of the Buckhounds, I fancy, is urged on his 

 appointment by some of his racing friends to deal in a states- 

 manhke way with the stands. 



Several people spoke to me seriously on the subject, and 

 of course they all had ideas of their own as to what should 

 be done. Some of these were a little difficult to follow. 

 But one and all had espoused great principles, and separated 

 themselves — judicially — from all questions of detail. Any 

 and every objection — such as interference with the high road, 

 the local authorities, private ownership, the configuration of 

 the ground, the convenience of the resident population — were 

 brushed aside. A large outlook was the thing, and all these 

 puny points would work themselves out. However, during 

 the time I lived at Ascot I came to the conclusion that, in 

 principle and indeed in fact, which is a very different thing, 

 there was quite enough to be said in favour of setting the 

 stands at an angle to the Straight Mile course to make it 

 worth careful consideration. 



But how was it to be done ? After looking over and over 

 again at the ground, and the villas, and the high road, and 

 the possibilities of space, I decided that, for many reasons — 

 economic and utilitarian^ — the mountain, that is the stands, 

 could not go to Mahomet. Mahomet, that is, the course, 



