the way in which their rights and privileges have been upheld. There was some idea of subscribing for a service of plate to be presented to their champion, but this has been, we think, very wisely abandoned. Considering the ease with which no doubt the funds might have been raised, the good taste evinced in the course adopted becomes the more to be commended :-"That in the opinion of this meeting, the observations recently made on the subject of Racing Sweeps, by the Earl of Eglinton in the House of Lords, were not only just and public spirited, but highly honourable to his character as a nobleman of the United Kingdom. That the thanks of this meeting and of the general body of Licensed Victuallers are eminently and justly due to his lordship for the manly expressions used by him on that occasion. That this meeting, in thus expressing its thanks and acknowledging its gratitude, in conjunction with the Licensed Victuallers generally, have great pleasure in congratulating his lordship upon his success at the late Epsom Spring Meeting, and they most sincerely wish him a long continuance of health and success upon the turf; and they have also to express a hope that their race, the Great Metropolitan Stakes, may in every successive year be the reward of an equally honourable sportsman, who will, as Lord Eglinton has done, manifest a determination to protect the rights of the Licensed Victuallers, promote the amusement of the tradesman, artisan, and mechanic, and maintain the privileges of every portion of the community to enter into any speculation they may think proper." STATE OF THE ODDS. The running off of some interesting events, both in the handicap line and three-year-old trials, has given no great impetus to business; though of course attended with material changes in the order of the list. Ön the Derby, perhaps, the total of the month-more from the "outs" of other stables than any great innings of their own-has brought a good balance in favour of the Goodwood string-" a lot" that has in no way suffered from the announced transfer from Mr. Mostyn to Lord Clifden. Surplice now promises well for first favourite to the post; a place that, had the trial and Monday's performance been deemed sufficient, Glendower most probably would have occupied. The reaction in favour of this horse was very striking, and no doubt would have gone on, as even yet it may not altogether go off. Despite Flatcatcher's victory for the Two Thousand, and the confidence of the party, we do not reckon Mr. Green as very formidable for Epsom; neither do the exhibitions from John Scott's stable tend to convince one of his having recovered his quondam strength. The feeling evinced, however, would certainly seem to show him with something like a clipper in Springy Jack. Of the different promotions the causes may be traced in our paper on the racing of the month; the two most merited being the Fiddler's and Sponge's, both much fancied, the latter especially by ourselves. At the Odds, we would as soon take Sponge as anything in the market. Epsom, to most horses, is a trying course to run over; and 16 66 depend upon it, a nag that can cut down a moderate field cleverly then and there, will not cut up very bad with a better. As the Oaks betting will all depend on the result of the Thousand Guineas Stakes, we will offer no remarks on the little that has been done; and as the Chester Cup will be decided almost as soon as our Magazine is out, we may sum up with the fact that speculation upon it was never worse. As a book-making race it's reign appears about over. April 3rd. April 11th. | April 17th. | April 26th. 10, 1 Newmarket. Newmarket. 10 to 1 9 1 10 1 9. 1 11 1 12 1 9 1 13.. 1 EMBELLISHMENTS. JACK TAR.-ENGRAVED BY J. MOOR, FROM A PAINTING BY W. II, DAVIS; A PEEP AT THE PROVINCES; OR, THE CRACK ENGLAND UNDER REVIEW BY ACTEON ROMANCE AND REALITY.-BY GEORGE J. O. ALLMAN SPORTING INCIDENTS AT HOME AND ABROAD (from the ms. life of the HON. PERCY HAMILTON).-COMMUNICATED 1 T Cricket M.C.C. v. Oxf. at Oxford r 3 50 N 11 Whit Sunday Moon HIGH WATER rises & London Bridge. sets. h. m. SETS. afternoon morn. aftern. h. m. h. m. 1 15 1 35 12 M M.C.C. v. Northern Counties, at s 8 1511 1 4110 5511 20 13T R.T.Y.C. Regatta [Lord's r 3 4412 2 611 55 no tide 14 W HAMPTON & MANCHESTER RCs. s 8 1613 2 35 0 20 0 40 15T M.C.C. v. Surrey, at Kennington r 3 4414 3 91 01 201 16 17 S Trinity Term ends 18 Trinity Sunday 19 M Hammersmith Regatta 20 T NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE RACES 21 W BIBURY CLUB RACES 22 T STOCKBRIDGE RACES 25 26 MIDSUMMER DAY First Sunday after Trinityr 3 4624 0 22 8 5 8 35 London Yacht Club Regatta 27 M WINCHESTER RACES 28 T LUDLOW RACES 29 W SALISBURY RACES 30 T F .2 & 3 Newcastle-on-Tyne 20, 21, 22 Royal Mersey Yacht Club, ...6, 7, 8 & 9 and 23 (1st Match).. 13 Royal Thames Yacht Club, 26 26 THE RACING IN MAY. BY CRAVEN. "Quis furor, O cives! quæ tanta licentia ?" LUCAN. The future historian of the turf will write that towards the middle of the nineteenth century this popular sport had been diverted altogether from its original design, which was, the improvement of the breed of horses. I am not going to say it had not accomplished its object. I am not about to question the service it had done, neither to insist that there was any longer occasion for such an agent to promote or keep up the magnificent race of coursers for which England is renowned all over the world. I merely assert that our turf has wholly changed its character, and proceed to examine for what that primitive purpose is set aside. About the middle of the nineteenth century were introduced handicap races, ranking in value and importance with the great weight for age stakes; and speculation, by means of lotteries, "adapted to the meanest capacity" of purse. The former holds out a reward for the possession of a bad horse, the latter a powerful inducement for the cultivation of a bad habit. At certain wakes and fairs, where donkey-racing prevails, the rule is that the last past the post wins-every jockey riding an adversary's "moke." This ensures an emphatic essay on the part of the rider to leave his own animal in the rear, and to the spectators an ample feast of rib-roasting. The handicap is a refinement upon this novelty -offering a premium to the merciful man who spareth his beast, and layeth a snare to spoil the lookers-on. As if Satan was not sufficiently served by the ordinary course of plates and sweepstakes, the handicap arose, the essence and abstract spirit of chicane. Unlike all other spectacles, it begins and ends with a catastrophe; or should it not, it has been badly played. Here was a heavy blow to breeding; while as a sport, racing received a great discouragement when it lapsed from the recreation of gentlemen to become the calling of "legs. I am at issue with those who assume that the turf, as a sport, is more popular than it used to be. Interested multitudes, indeed, throng the great meetings, to learn the fate of their ventures; but in its legitimate character, racing, if it has not retrograded, has not progressed within the last twenty years. I am disposed to attribute the steps lately adopted by the Jockey Club to a desire to divest it of this tendency to become gambling for the million, rather than to a spirit of dictatorial interference with its official details. Perhaps the recent paper duel between one of its members and the sporting correspondent of a daily newspaper may have had an influence upon the steps taken to curtail the freedom of the press; but it is impossible |