THE RACE-COURSE AS IT WAS IN 1819. 289 
collapse. A sporting authority (the Morning Herald), writing 
in 1819, says, that the races at Epsom had fallen into such 
low repute, owing to the ill condition of the course and the 
scanty accommodation afforded, that it was thought they 
would be given up on the death of the then Lord Derby. 
“How changed,” exclaims the writer, “from the days of 
O'Kelly and Eclipse!” Defaulters, too, seem to have been 
very plentiful at that time, collecting every guinea they could 
obtain from their honest associates, and levanting with the 
sum so received, whether big or little, £10,000 or £10, 
without paying a farthing of their losses. These and other 
discreditable acts, substantially the same as those named 
in the newspaper referred to, had brought racing to a very 
low ebb. Here is what is said on some other points :— 
“These were not the only unfortunate circumstances at- 
tending the races held at Epsom that year, for we are further 
informed that they were greatly attended by ‘thieves,’ and 
other bad characters. The Races this year had the honour 
of being particularly patronised by the ‘borough gang,’ 
who committed unheard-of depredations: one day Mr. Bolton 
was attacked by upwards of thirty men, near the course, 
and, as a matter of course, they relieved him of his watch;” 
After describing how others were robbed, it is added, 
that a gentleman that was looking at the races had his 
pockets turned inside out, and a constable, who, seeing the 
act, seized the rogue, was surrounded by about 200 thieves, 
who knocked him down and kicked and beat him with 
sticks. The bare recital of these barbarisms is sufficient to 
show the improvement made in our day in the proceedings 
on the course, and that it is not without reason I affirm that 
the racing authorities deserve praise for successfully carrying 
out many difficult reforms. 
U 
