• ENGLISH AGAINST ARAB.
A MATCH is under negotiation for a race of English horses with the Arab horses of the Pacha of Egypt, to be run-in the Desert ; and the 'contest excites no small interest-hot on-the Nile and-the Thames. Though only a sport, it has some practical use. Eng- lishmen-have been so long accustomed to-success in roanythings, . that they are too ready to presume its.perpetuity; and -perhaps a harmless rebuff, should it be encountered, m-arnot belmsalutary. . Our countrymen have often boasted, -that for -ail-the -wild•ease and hardy training-of the Indian, "English bone and 'muscle," "English pluck and bottom," could beat him in a foot-race: the -mistake was exposed lately :in Canada, where Englishmen and . Americans were easily beaten by an Indian runner; the winner . himself having been previously -beaten by fleeter Indians Who . ran in the-same race, but reserved themselves in case of his failure. A MATCH is under negotiation for a race of English horses with the Arab horses of the Pacha of Egypt, to be run-in the Desert ; and the 'contest excites no small interest-hot on-the Nile and-the Thames. Though only a sport, it has some practical use. Eng- lishmen-have been so long accustomed to-success in roanythings, . that they are too ready to presume its.perpetuity; and -perhaps a harmless rebuff, should it be encountered, m-arnot belmsalutary. . Our countrymen have often boasted, -that for -ail-the -wild•ease and hardy training-of the Indian, "English bone and 'muscle," "English pluck and bottom," could beat him in a foot-race: the -mistake was exposed lately :in Canada, where Englishmen and . Americans were easily beaten by an Indian runner; the winner . himself having been previously -beaten by fleeter Indians Who . ran in the-same race, but reserved themselves in case of his failure.
his the great argument in favour of horse-racing, that it keeps up and improves our breed of horses. Does it really ? To -our Isle eyes, the horses of our cavalry do not look as they used in years gone by : those of the "crack" dragoon regiments in par- . ticular look smaller, more unshapely, and more lcur-like. The -cheap and multitudinous- omnibuses have decidedly improved . the breed of horses about London : as M. Fiorentinosays, 4 -splen- . did" cattle now drag our.bulky vehicles, often without need-for • 'whip; and-the ,cab-can display a steed that would make an old hackney-coachman mistake this descendant-the cabman for a lord , -or a sporting gent : but-we-doubt whether we are at all indebted-for that improvement to the racing-stud, nor do we -rest our national
• fame on the-cab or omnibus. Is not the race-horse an abstrac- \\
‘ tion? The bunter, indeed, must -have thestaple of the horse in \. him; hut -then, -Mr. John Bright is going to abolish hunting along withgame. it appears likely,thatnur English tsportsmen ' ill not risk a racer -against-the Arabs : he goes wonderfully, h his "tremendous stritle,". over an artificial smooth turf . ,ritercourse-; but heis a carpet=lonight. It is fhe steeple-elraier . that will tbensed-; but eteeple-chteses:too are going to be.given a tip _4. *ley -are so cruel." -So that even if -our most 'serviceable ses in) -they are of akind that is to depart from amongst us.
- hor , And f t ey lose? - • i
en, we say, -the lesson will not be unwholesome. Beaten onoot, and on horseback,'We may try what -we can do-on - the water, agmst some worthy competitor, -before we have to-do ;
again 1i day of mortal contest. -th
Previous page
