Hunting, Steeple-Chasing, and Racing Scenes. Illustrations by Ben Herring, descriptions
by J. Hewitt. (Peddie.)—The frontispiece repre- sents Tattersall's where is centred, the editor tells, the interest of the three great sports. But he speaks of it only as a horse-mart, and preserves a praiseworthy silence as to its use as a betting-shop. Unfortunately, this is what the name really means to nine out of ten who are familiar with it. Even in selling horses there is more sharp dealing than in selling any- thing else, and as to betting about them, no one knows the depth of that degradation. As to this book, the sketches seem lively enough ; the portraits of the horses may be good, the portraits of the men are but moderate. The letterpress we do not profess to understand. But its chief fault is that it joins to a really grand sport, like hunting, such a folly as steeple-chasing and such an imbecility as horse-racing.
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