veterans, call out one cheer more for the success of a Waterloo man! ye farmers, curse not too fiercely the drunken cockneys for riding o'er your grounds, for every one of them this day has been doing honour to a true farmer's friend! ye aristocrats, who despise the mob and mixing on the Downs, hark back to your pedigrees, and trace out, step by step, a descendant of the Merry Monarch's! and, lastly, ye sportsmen, as you score Refraction's victory under that of Gulnare, name to us if you can a more worthy first favourite for the Oaks of next year than the worthy who ran first for it this. PEDIGREE. Refraction, a brown filly, was bred by the Duke of Richmond, her present owner, in 1842, and was got by Glaucus, out of Prism by Camel, her dam Elizabeth by Rainbow, out of Belvoirina by Stamford-Sister to Silver by Mercury. Prism, the property of the Duke of Rutland, won a two-year-old stake at Newmarket July Meeting in 1838, and was claimed by the Duke of Richmond, who ran second, for £200. She never appeared in public either before or since, being put to the stud almost inmediately on changing her quarters. Refraction, her third produce, as yet the only one we believe of any account." Glaucus has rather disappointed the expectations entertained of him as stud horse; none perhaps ever had so many good mares put to him, and yet, with the exception of the Nob, Una, and Refraction, his sons and daughters are of a very so-so sort. He started on the commencement of the present season for Germany-a fashionable departure by no means to be regretted. PERFORMANCES. In 1844 Refraction, then two years old, auspiciously and appropriately enough commenced her racing career at Goodwood, where, on the Tuesday-ridden by that now "banished man," but then regular and, we must say, good servant to the Duke, Sam Rogers-she won the Ham Produce Stakes of 100 sovs. each, h. ft. (42 subs.), beating Mr. Wreford's, jun., Winchelsea (2), Col. Peel's Hersey (3), and the following, not placed :-Lord Glasgow's b. c. by Bay Middleton, out of Miss Whip, Mr. Gratwick's The Merry Monarch, Mr. Treen's Bastion, Col. Anson's Jezail, Lord George Bentinck's Nightcap, Mr. Bowes's As-you-like-it, and Lord Chesterfield's Stitch.-5 to 1 agst. Refraction, who won by two lengths. The same day, ridden by Rogers, she ran third to Mr. Gully's The Maid of Orleans for the Lavant Stakes of 50 sovs. each, 30 ft. (26 subs.), Lord Eglinton's Plaudit beating her easily for second, and the following not placed:-Lord Albemarle's Tisiphone, Mr. W. Edwards's Full-sail, Lord George Bentinck's Pug, Mr. Osbaldeston's Secutor, and Duke of Richmond's b. f. by Glaucus, out of Estelle.-3 to 1 agst. Refraction. On the Thursday in the same meeting, ridden by Rogers, and carrying 5lbs. extra, she ran second to Mr. Gully's Nutbourne (since dead) for the Molecomb Stakes of 50 sovs. each, h. ft. (21 subs.): Lord Albemarle's Tisiphone, Lord George Bentinck's Pulce, Lord Chesterfield's Stitch, Lord Eglinton's Plaudit, Lord Eglinton's Bret walda, Mr. Gratwicke's Titmouse, Colonel Peel's Hersey, and Mr. Herbert's ch. f. by Elis out of Charlotte West, also started, but were not placed.-4 to 1 agst. Refraction, who was beaten by a neck. On the same day, she walked over and divided a Sweepstakes of 25 sovs. each (11 subs.) with Mr. Gully's The Maid of Orleans. On the Tuesday, in the Newmarket Second October Meeting, ridden by Edward Edwards, she won the Clearwell Stakes of 30 sovs. each, 20 ft. (31 subs.), beating Colonel Peel's Hersey (2), Mr. Payne's Sir Francis (3), and the following, not placed: Duke of Bedford's Prologue, Lord Eglinton's Plaudit, Lord Exeter's Tunick, Lord William Powlett's Energy, and Mr. Copeland's Arthur.-5 to 4 agst. Refraction, who won by a neck. In 1845, Refraction, on the Tuesday, in the Newmarket First Spring Meeting, ridden by Flatman, ran third and last for the Coffee Room Stakes of 50 sovs. cach, Lord Exeter's Lyons winning, and Duke of Bedford's Prologue running second.-7 to 4 on Refraction, who was beaten a length for second, and Prologue only a head by the winner. At Epsom, ridden by H. Bell, she rather unexpectedly "did the deed," in winning the Oaks Stakes of 50 sovs. each, h. ft. (128 subs.), beating Mr. Bennett's Hope (2), Major Yarburgh's Miss Sarah (3), Lord Chesterfield's Lady Wildair (4), and seventeen others not placed, for whose names we refer to page 34 of the Turf Register. -25 to 1 agst. Refraction, who won easily by two lengths. At Ascot Heath, on the Tuesday, ridden by Flatman, and carrying 6lbs. extra, she ran third for the Welcome Stakes of 20 sovs. each, Mr. Gully's Weatherbit being placed first, Lord Lonsdale's br. c. by Jerry out of Turquoise second, and Mr. Gully's Old England (3 lbs. extra) fourth. The following also started:-Lord Exeter's Adrianople, Sir Watkin W. Wynn's Undine, Mr. G. Ongley's Mystery, Duke of Bedford's Captain Phoebus, Mr. Worley's John Davis, and Mr. Copeland's Arthur.-4 to 1 agst. Refraction, who ran home a very indifferent third. At Goodwood, on the Friday, ridden by H. Bell, and carrying 9lbs. extra, she ran a dead heat with, and then beat, Sir Richard W. Bulkeley's Queen Pomare for the Nassau Stakes of 50 sovs. each (24 subs.): Lord George Bentinck's Pug, Lord Chesterfield's Stitch, Lord Eglinton's Britannia, and Lord Exeter's Topaz, also ran.-6 to 5 agst., and after the dead heat, 4 to 1 on Refraction, who won cleverly by a length. SUMMARY OF REFRACTION'S PERFORMANCES. In 1844, she started five times, and won twice, and divided once: The Clearwell Stakes at Newmarket.. In 1845, she has started four times and won twice: £2,500 0 3,475 0 1050 0 £7,807 10 This includes every engagement for 1845 but the Drawing Room Stakes at Goodwood, and the Newmarket St. Leger yet to come off in the First October Meeting. For this same St. Leger, the Duke has also his Derby horse the Laird O'Cockpen down; but for its more important namesake farther north, neither the winner of the Oaks, nor in fact anything of his Grace's half in the long Goodwood string, have been put in nomination. For the Drawing Room we should say Refraction paid forfeit, no doubt out of compliment to Old England, the actual winner of it. And here, in concluding our somewhat lengthy, but still necessary memoir of this good-looking, good-serving filly-a mare who has always been "well up" and always in the best of company-we repeat, that the result of the last Oaks should be a source of gratification to the true sportsman, and to all in fact not interested to look at it in a merely personal point of view; and even these could never have a more fitting opportunity for applying the not unusual nolens volens greeting of a handy second to a clever winner-" Well, your Grace, I am glad you did win, as I did not." Elderly gentlemen, who sigh and sorrow at the unrelenting force and course of Father Time, for the palmy days of their Shelleys, Graftons, and Grosvenors, may brighten up again with the knowledge that there is yet a strong supply of our Exeters, Albemarles, and Richmonds to take their places; men whose names must benefit racing without injuring themselves, so long as they continue to regard and practise it (as they hitherto have done) rather as the becoming amusement of an English gentleman than the serious speculation of a man of business. Of such as these, of such a sample as Sussex this season brought out, and the Brothers Bell brought home, for both Derby and Oaks, may our customary open. ing, "The property of, and bred by," run on for many a long day. NIMROD'S ANALYSIS OF "THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN," BY THOMAS SMITH, ESQ., LATE MASTER OF THE CRAVEN. Chapter the eighth treats of earth-stopping, and is an interesting one, not only by the general remarks of the writer, but by his going out of the beaten track, and, instead of trusting to earth-stoppers, having all the earths in a country stopped before regular hunting begins. His plan was this: In the month of October he sent a whipper-in round to every earth-stopper, and had the earth what is called stunk out with brimstone, &c. Three days subsequently, the same whipper-in sees that each earth is stopped in the following manner: First make a faggot of sticks the size of each hole, which should be thrust in; then drive a stake through it; after which, with a spade, cover the whole over with earth." In this state are the earths to remain till the spring, when they are to be opened for the reception of heavy vixens, say not later than the last week in February, and I heartily concur in the propriety of this practice. In the first place, earth-stoppers are not to be depended upon, and, in the second, hundreds of blank days in every season, throughout England, are caused by foxes being stopped in, by the earths not being stopped until the foxes have returned to them after their midnight prowls (for I see no reason for supposing foxes are many hours on their prowl, should they succeed in satisfying hunger)-to say no. thing of their remaining at ground by choice during very tempestuous nights, or if heavily gorged with food on the preceding night. I have myself always considered earths and open drains the curse of fox-hunting; and more pains should be taken to stake the mouths of open drains than are taken. Mr. Smith takes credit for being the only master of hounds that has adopted this plan of stopping at once for the season; but he found the greatest benefit from it. His foxes ran straighter, from not hanging to the earths; and disappointment to hounds, by their beaten fox getting to ground at the last moments, is prevented. But our author goes farther than this: he considers the disadvantages of earths so much to overbalance their advantages, that he would have every earth in a hunting country done away with entirely, in which case vixens would breed above ground, or in drains which no one knows of; whereas every earth is known to every foxtaker around. But the question is, would not hunted foxes go to earth in those drains, which, not being known, could not be stopped? I am of opinion that Mr. Smith here pushes a good system too far, although he assigns one good argument in its favour, namely, that, as one mangy fox will infect several earths, that evil will be avoided by having no earths to infect. The ninth and last chapter relates to game-keepers, with reference to their connection with fox-hunting; and we are presented with a sketch, showing how a trap for vermin (stoats, &c.) should be baited, so as to enable a fox to take the bait without being caught by the leg, as our author says ninety-nine out of a hundred are caught-that is, when the traps are covered over, and the bait is on the ground under the trap. The sketch represents the bait fixed on the head of a stake, which the fox could reach without stepping on the trap which is under it, but which the stoat, as a smaller animal, cannot. also signifies that the fox, being " up to trap," will not tread upon a trap. Mr. Smith next adduces instances of swarms of foxes coexisting with swarms of pheasants, as I myself can do-in Berkeley Castle covers, for one instance. He This chapter concludes with a recommendation to the fair sex to encourage their brothers and husbands to be fox-hunters, requesting them to compare the private amusements of some of those men who do not hunt with those who do, when they will find the balance to preponderate in favour of the fox-hunter; and then relates the following amusing anecdote :-He says he once saw a friend of his address a respectable-looking man in these words-"I am glad to see you alive, which I did not expect, after what I heard." "What could you have heard?" said the other. "Why, I heard that your son had shot a fox; and any man who would shoot a fox would shoot his own father." I now have done with the "Diary of a Sportsman," the work of an old and kind friend. But it is not as such that I look upon it: I look upon it as the production of an experienced and a very extraordinary sportsman; and I only regret that he did not enlarge more than he has done on some interesting points, his experience of scent in particular. The title of the work led me to believe that this difficult but interesting feature in fox-hunting would have been a promineut one in the book, giving the experience of particular days, with reference to the state of the atmosphere, and the ground on such days, as also of the wind, &c., &c. I am also of opinion that the price of the book is much too high; but I do not here allude to the profit or loss account of the author, to whom that circumstance may be a matter of indifference, but to the end to which such a work may be desirable, namely, its being within the reach of servants belonging to hounds, sporting yeomen, and such like. But, on the score of profit, a high price seldom answers, as I know to my cost. It may be supposed that a work from my pen, written in French, on the breeds, &c., of the race-horse, would have had a good sale in France, where such information is much sought after; but, having been advised to fix the price at sixteen shillings, I lost money by the work in question, because it was only purchased by rich men; and sixteen shillings in France is considered equal, in many cases, to six-and-twenty in England. With the conclusion of the remarks on Mr. Smith's "Diary of a Huntsman," concludes our post obit store of Nimrod's writings; these critiques being, in fact, the only papers he had prepared for the press at the time of his decease. It is not perhaps exactly becoming of us, as the party through whom they have been made public, to be too loud in our approval of them: for our own part, however, we must say that, as far as they went, we have always considered "the Sporting Writers" of Nimrod one of the most interesting subjects both to sporting writers and sporting readers their unequalled author ever engaged on. "Critics," sings the poet in bitter satire, "are born ready made;" an easy, off-hand fashion of fixing the rights and claims of the gentlemen censors that may perhaps even now tell well enough in many spheres, but one that never has and never can carry weight with it among the followers of or the essayists on field sports. Only observe the short and sweet generalities with which sporting publications are, ninety-nine times in a hundred, treated by the press; the absolute dread there is of really entering into any consideration of the merits of a work--this forbearance arising out of fear of committing the reviewer rather than the reviewed-and the commonplace, cautious arms length sum-up with which the "babbling of green fields" is joyfully disposed of. Again, it is not every man who, even admitting he does thoroughly understand what his author is speaking about, that should be licensed to commend or condemn by simple yea or nay: the untried or, to the multitude, unknown pretensions or position of a sportsman, however excellent and practical he may actually be, must stand as a bar to any great attention following the opinions he may have volunteered on the works of others. Of this, now, we had a very striking instance, in some strictures on this same "Diary of a Huntsman," which appeared in a |