* * *

ORIGIN OF EPSOM RACES.

(_Concluded from page 331._)

"At this period[7] there were many capital thorough bred horses in
England, the most celebrated of which were the famed Arabians Darley and
Godolphin, from which the best horses have been traced for nearly a
century. They produced stock of vast size, bone and substance; and were,
at the same time, endowed with such extraordinary, and before unheard
of, powers of speed, as to render it probable that some of them have
reached nature's goal, or ultimate point of perfection.

[7] About the fifteenth year of the reign of George II.

"From the former of these horses descended Flying Childers. He is said
to have never run a race, except at Newmarket, where he beat, with ease,
the best horses of his time.

"In October, 1722, he beat Lord Drogheda's Chaunter, each carrying ten
stone, over a six mile course, for 1,000 guineas. At six years of age,
he ran a race, carrying 9 stone 2lbs. against Almanzor and Brown Betty,
over the round course at Newmarket, three miles six furlongs, and
ninety-three yards, in six minutes and forty seconds! to perform which,
he must have moved eighty-two feet and a half in a second of time, or at
the rate of nearly one mile in a minute.

"This is the greatest speed yet known of a horse, many have approached,
but not equalled it.

"To continue the list of celebrated race horses would extend this
article (already it is feared too long) beyond our limits. We will
therefore close it with the following account of Eclipse, a horse whom
fame ranks second in the list, and whose history is more closely
connected with Epsom than those already described.

"Eclipse was first the property of His Royal Highness the Duke of
Cumberland, and was foaled during the great eclipse in 1764, from which
he received his name. He was a chestnut horse, and at the death of his
royal master was purchased by Mr. Wildman, who subsequently sold a
moiety, and then the whole of his interest in him, to Colonel O'Kelly,
who resided at Clay-hill, Epsom.

"Mr. Wildman is said to have been in some degree aware of the worth of
this colt, when a yearling, and to have taken the following measures in
order to make sure of him. When he arrived at the place of sale, Mr.
Wildman produced his watch, and insisted that the auction had commenced
before the hour announced in the advertisements, and that the lots sold
should be put up again. In order, howe