and, by a curious coincidence, was at that period the third "Tom Smith" hunting hounds-the two others being the "renowed Tom" of Quorn celebrity, and Mr. Smith, late of the Craven, now of the Pytchley, whose Christian name is Thomas.

But Lord Middleton's favouritism in the field and the kennel did not confine itself to Tom. Smith. He had a favourite hound called Vanguard-and a fine animal he was-that absolutely had the entrée of his dinner-room, and by such and other indulgencies-giving him. bread, for example in the field, he well nigh destroyed his propensity to find a fox. At all events, he made him one of the slackest hounds in his pack.

:

Lord Middleton was naturally a very fine horseman, being strong in his seat, and with a very good hand; and he would occasionally ride well up to his hounds; but no doubt his best days in that respect were past before I knew him and I saw the finish of him as a horseman. I saw him get a fall, from the effects of which he never sufficiently recovered so as to be "himself again :" and a most extraordinary fall it was, and from one of his favourite horses. He merely put him into a trot on some smooth green-sward, when he crossed his legs, fell, and rolled over his rider.

No man rode better cattle than Lord Middleton did, and, as I have already stated, his men were splendidly mounted in the field. His grey horse, Smoker, was one of the cleverest animals that ever met my eye; and when his noble owner was on his back, he looked both the nobleman and the sportsman. And I shall now dismiss his lordship as a Master of Hounds with this short remark :-he possessed many of the qualities which Masters of Hounds should possess, and some of them to a great extent. He was regardless of all necessary expense in his establishment-doing all he was required to do towards the country he hunted, with a liberal hand. His turn-out at the cover side was first-rate, and what more could have been desired?

PROPOSED MEETING OF MASTERS OF FOX-HOUNDS. It is proposed that the Masters of Fox-hounds in England should dine together on Wednesday the 2nd of June, (the Wednesday after the Derby) the following names are appended to the resolution:

T. HODGSON,

HAWKE,
DUCIE,

K. W. HORLOCK,

T. VILLEBOIS,
KINTORE,

G. S. FOLJAM BE,
G. WYNDHAM.

Such reunions as these will tend to increase sport, and promote good fellowship, and we shall be glad to see the List of Names which lies at Messrs. Tattersall's, at Hyde Park-corner, grow to a goodly length.

NEWMARKET CRAVEN MEETING.

BY THE EDITOR.

OLD Father Time has this year doubled up, and put by, one of the most uninteresting "Craven" weeks which it has ever been the lot of Sporting Editor to chronicle. Not only was the racing the reverse of racy, but the attendance was below par. There were, perhaps, as many of the nobler orders as usually grace the Newmarket Meetings, but quantity, not quality, is the desideratum for a Race-course, and as one of the "Boniface" fraternity remarked, the townspeople are always willing to take" small change for a Lord" in current mobility. Moreover, the weather, which in all seasons fails to make Newmarket an agreeable spot, was as changeable as a boarding-school Miss-hail, rain, and snow-piercing wind, and glaring sun, succeeding each other in a way to puzzle weather-glasses.

With respect to the "business attractions" of the meeting, I fear that, unless some radical change be adopted, its decline will be rapidly progressive. The Jockey Club appears to show an unaccountable partiality for the Second Spring Meeting, which, for aught that I can see or hear to the contrary, is worse than useless, inasmuch as it causes a considerable expenditure of public money without bringing a commensurate return; interferes with and injures meetings in other parts of the kingdom, and distracts the attention of those interested in the Derby and Oaks.

Seeing then no good cause for its continuance, and the sport being invariably bad, I would venture to suggest its abandonment, and that the Jockey Club and Town Money (together amounting to more than 3007.) should be added to the Handicap, similar to the Cambridgeshire Stakes, to be run for on Wednesday in the Craven week; this would bring men, horses, and money, and would tend to the general improvement of the racing at this important season.

Tuesday presented but a meagre bill of fare, unexpectedly diversified by a dead heat between Wahab and Abydos for the "Tuesday's Riddlesworth." In the second heat, Wahab made all the running, and won as he liked, owing, in my opinion, only to Abydos's want of condition. Of course some people thought, and said, that Abydos won the first heat, but that is only usual, for we are sure to hear of one, and not unfrequently, of two winners in nine dead heats out of ten. The other events of this day were a sweep of 5 sovs. each, won by Remnant, beating Jessica, Ruthless, and Audrey, by a neck,—and a Sweep of 50 sovs. each, won by a length by Oakley, beating Nick, Eolian, and Gobemouche.

Wednesday's business commenced by Mr. Payne's Australia, ridden by Nat, and receiving 7lb., beating Capt. Rous's Langolee by half-alength, in a match.-T. Y. C. for 50 sovs.

A Plate of 50 sovs. T. Y. C. was won in a canter by Epirus (Nat), beating Mr. Cookes's Oaks mare, Sequidilla, and Scroggins, upon whom we were glad to see that honest jock, Conolly, make his first appearance in public since his accident at Oxford.

The form in which Oakley had won his race on Tuesday made him a favourite for the Column, at 7 to 4 on him. Four came to the post, and Abydos, who was backed by some good judges at 3 to 1, made play at moderate speed, until within half-a-distance of home, and was then passed by Mr. Batson's Oaks mare, Potentia, Oakley being kept in hand; a few lengths from the Chair, he went up to the mare, and obtained an easy victory by a length. Abydos was several lengths in the rear. If this running be true, the winner must be a very superior animal, and Potentia, notwithstanding her curbs, ought to backed for the Oaks. We suspect, however, that Abydos felt the effect of his race with Wahab the day before, and was some pounds below his right form. The day's sport was concluded by Mosque, (a sound useful horse,) carrying in the scarlet jacket of his Grace of Grafton first for one 50 sovs. Sweepstakes, beating three others; and Joujou running in by herself for another, Minx following her at a respectful distance.

On Thursday, after an insignificant fifty sovs. match, in which Remnant beat Mountain Sylph, and a close race between Barbara and Remnant for a Fifty Sovs. Plate, in which "the Remnant was used up" and a Fifty sovs. Sweepstakes won by Garry Owen, beating Ruthless, Perdita, and the colt by Glencoe, out of Tragedy, and a Match for 100 sovs. in which Menalippe, at 8st. 10lb., beat Myrtle, at 7st. 3lb.-came the 100 sovs. Sweepstakes, which created much anxiety, as well from the reported superiority of "Lawyer Ford's" nag, Metternich, as from the mystery which prevailed with respect to Eringo, who was engaged in the race with 71b. extra on his back (making in fact 10lb. extra betwixt him and Metternich). It was not known until some time after the commencement of the races that Mr. Thornhill had determined not to run. The betting was 6 to 5 and 5 to 4 on Metternich; 7 to 4 against Wahab, and 10 to 1 agst. Arundel. Wahab made play at a killing pace to the ropes, where Arundel dispossessed him of the lead. Metternich, who had been lurching behind, now came up, and after a bit of a race, won by half-a-length; Wahab being beaten a length and a half from Arundel. We confess that this performance does not seem to justify the confidence expressed by the Metternich party.

Having thus spoken our "prologue," we proceed at once to the business of the week, which was opened by the "Craven Stakes,"

bringing out seven candidates-viz. Epirus, Mountain Sylph, Flambeau, Beyrout, Viola, Cuirassier, and Phingari.

"Should Flambeau win this, back Sir Hans," was the advice of one, who, from the commencement of the Derby betting, has been his most zealous supporter; and that Flambeau was expected to win, was proved by the betting, being nearly 5 to 4 on him, whilst poor Epirus, who had been already twice defeated for the same stake, was only a nominal favourite at 5 to 2. The race was entirely amongst the old horses - Epirus, after waiting on the favourite to the bottom, giving him the go-by easily, and winning in a canter by two lengths. The Squire's filly was a tolerable third. Thus Flambeau did not win (owing, as his friends asserted, to the ground not being quite hard enough), and Sir Hans accordingly" sounded the retreat."

The entry for the Handicap of 20 sovs. each, showed five to start for a stake, where, formerly, the numbers used to range from twelve to twenty. Moreover, the handicapping was, as a matter of course, complained of before started, and more especially by Mr. Ford, whose view of the case was somewhat borne out by public opinion, though not by the event, the betting being 4 to 1 against his Young Quo Minus, and only 2 to 1 against the Duke of Portland's colt, by Glencoe, out of Tragedy. The result, however, proved the handicapper the best judge, Young Quo Minus winning easily, and the favourite being first at the wrong end.

Two matches followed-Menalippe beating Perseus, who was short of work, at 8st. 7lb. each-and Australia with 8st. 8lb., and Nat upon her back, trotting in a-head of Lord Lichfield's colt, by Ibrahim, out of Malima, 8st. 7lb.

The race for the 100 sovs. Sweepstakes was the only good thing of the day. Mr. Payne's Escort, Fulwar Craven's Benedetta, Captain Williamson's Decision, and Lord Orford's Bettina, started in perfect order, and the line was so well kept to the end, that it was scarcely possible to say which had the lead ;-here, however, Escort's head was clearly in advance, but immediately after Benedetta made a rush, got her neck in front, and was booked to win; but Nat having given his horse a pull, came again at the finish, and won on the post by a head, much to the astonishment of Mr. Fulwar Craven, who swears his mare won by the "length of his arm." Decision was an excellent third.

A bad day's racing was concluded by Mr. Thornhill's Eringo walking over for the Riddlesworth, and carrying the Riddlesworth money to Riddles worth for the first time.

The racing on Friday was a sorry wind-up to a dull week. Four races only appeared in the list, two of which, sweepstakes of 100 sovs. each, were walked over for by Eringo and Oakley, not a little to the surprize of some good tacticians, who argued with some show of reason that Edwards's stable should have started one of the Duke of Bedford's

against Eringo, if for no other purpose than to get a public trial for Ralph; with Oakley they had the other stake at their command. The only races run were a match for 50 sovs.-A. F., between Lord Exeter's Beyrout and Lord Albemarle's Viola, at even weights, the filly favourite at 2 to 1, and made all the running, but was caught at the cords, and put Billy Cotton to his trumps to make a draw of it. The other," the Port," was of a mighty bad vintage. Lord Exeter started Amurath and Scutari against Gibraltar, who was not at all "fit;" he was good enough, however, to win half a length, but ran in a cowardly manner all the way. In order to make sport, we presume, Amurath and Scutari raced against each other for the second money, which was awarded to the horse.

Thus closed a very " dull and dry" week, of which the only notable results were, the sending Sir Hans "to Coventry" for the Derby, at 40 to 1, and bringing Ford's lot well forward into the market. The bill of fare for the First Spring Meeting has an attraction of much interest in the Two Thousand Guineas Stakes-and as "the spirit" of match-making" moved many," towards the end of the week, some better sport may be fairly looked forward to.

The public are indebted to Captain Rous for several minor improvements in the details of the course management. Why Newmarket, the metropolis of racing, should be so backward in the march of improvement, we are at a loss to guess; but the present stands and stables are a disgrace to the Jockey Club. Three or four small stands might surely be erected at such principal points as the end of the B. C., R. C., and A. F. courses, at a moderate expense, which would be repaid by the admission money for the day, thus affording a convenience to the public, and improving the appearance of the heath, which at present wears an aspect of peculiar poverty and discomfort.