AND THE PRESENT DAY 13 



before they are three years old. Government ought 

 to interfere and put a veto on two-year-old races ; 

 this done, and the One and Two Thousand, the 

 Derby, Oaks, and Leger made for four-year-olds, 

 then we might hope to see our racehorses and 

 hunters coming back to their former stout form. 

 But this we shall never see. John Bull, with his 

 proverbial stubbornness, will stick to his old line. 



I was one and twenty years riding and racing in 

 France, and was highly amused when the French 

 first began sending over horses to us ; we generously 

 allowed them seven pounds — half a stone. How I 

 laughed and chuckled in my sleeve when I heard 

 this ! After a little time Mr Bull found this would 

 not do, so he came to even weights ; but he received 

 such a lesson with Fille de l'Air and Gladiateur, 

 that it made the old gentleman stare considerably, 

 and pull rather a long face. 



Eacing men, I will tell you what you probably 

 already know, but will not admit — the French could 

 better give us seven pounds than we them : their 

 three-year-olds are nearly as forward as our four- 

 year-olds. 



The climate of France is warmer than ours, horses 

 do better and furnish quicker there, and the time is 

 not far distant when they will beat us as easily as 

 we used to beat them. It is no use disguising it ; 



