A PRELIMINARY CANTER. 9 



race its next fillip, the conductors of the penn}^ papers 

 devoting themselves to the event ; and as these publi- 

 cations soon attained a large circulation, compared 

 with the old-style journals, the Derby was brought 

 home to still additional thousands. The cheap press 

 for some years revelled in the fun, frolic and fraud 

 incidental to the great event. No diminution has 

 taken place in the crowd — every year finds a greater 

 number of persons at Epsom than ever assembled 

 before, and year after year we hear the same rendhig 

 shout of 'They're off!' or 'The favourite's beat!' 

 There are the same passions and excitements con- 

 nected with the Derby of to-day as with the struggle 

 of fifty years ago ; the vast crowds of faces on the 

 numerous stands still turn with one accord to welcome 

 the equine combatants as they stream round Tattenham 

 Corner ; the mad career of the horses as they gallop to 

 the winning post is still watched with breathless atten- 

 tion for a moment or two by most of the crowd. The 

 race scarcely takes three minutes, and during the last 

 thirty seconds of that period the excitement to some 

 of the spectators is of the intensest description, even 

 though they may not have risked half-a-crown on the 

 result. Others who have gambled heavily on the 

 race, and have thousands at stake, may well be 

 excused for feeling anxious, although there are many 

 who can win or lose lar^^e sums with the (greatest 

 equanimity. Still, it is a relief to all when the race is 

 won and the shouting is over, and when those most 

 interested know the best or the worst of the event. 



One feature of the changing years which marks the 

 Derby, and indeed all other races, is the celerity with 



