that the steeple-chaser is regarded quite as much or more for his capabilities as a hunter than as a racer. It is true he may go at nearly the top of his speed for the whole four miles; but I only appeal to the crack men who hunt with the Queen, whether their horses are not kept at high pressure for three, four, or five times that distance; and in the words of a gentleman, who very amusingly describes a good day with the Royal hounds

"M'Donogh and Mason, and bardolph-nosed Bean,
Of steeple-chase riders at first we had plenty;
"Tis one thing to go for ten minutes I ween,

"Tis another to go for two hours and twenty."

"Rome was not built in a day," and certainly for the first few years, in consequence of impracticable fences being generally included or purposely erected in a steeple chase line, accidents were of frequent occurrence; time, however, and attention have materially improved upon this, and "over a fair hunting country" is no longer merely inserted in the articles, but strictly acted up to, so that fatal accidents have decreased in as great a proportion as the passion for the sport has increased. But there is a practice, until within the last year or so confined to the sister kingdom, now gradually gaining ground with the managers of steeple chases in England (who are apt to adopt it with the view of lengthening a day's play) which threatens to throw more opprobrium on it than anything else connected with the sport: I allude to running heats for steeplechases a system which never has, and never can be justified. It is true, the heat is rarely more than half the usual distance; but heats on the flat never exceed two miles, and it cannot for a moment be questioned but that the heat across a country takes much more out of a horse than one of equal distance over the course-independently of the greater liability of the steeple chaser to mishaps, trifling or otherwise, which may (in some cases, fortunately) prevent him starting for a second or third chase for the same prize. "Shamrock," who wrote more and better on the steeple chase than any other subject, declared, on a bed of sickness-his death-bed, in fact-that, having suffered his horses to start for chases which were decided by the best of heats, grieved him more than any other fault or cruelty he was ever conscious of having been a party to; and he feelingly and at some length describes the scenes he had witnessed arising from this practice. Horses, so lame from over-reaches, spavins, or some accident in the first, spurred and whipped by their riders absolutely to get them up to the starting-post for the second heat, or so stiff from what they had been through an hour previous, as to fall powerless over the first fence on being called on to repeat the performance;" with many similar heart-rending sketches; but which, not having the article by me, I am unable to quote. This, the reader must remember, took and does take place in Ireland; and to it I beg leave to call the attention of all such authorities on this side of the water as may have felt inclined to follow it, trusting they will ever avoid so cruel a regulation, and one so certain to bring the steeple chase into disrepute. As to the danger of men riding steeple chases, I consider it not a whit greater than when really riding to hounds; indeed, there has in

this country, within the last few years, been more serious accidents in the hunting-field or on the race-course than over a steeple chase line. The only case I remember of a professional steeple-chase rider dying from an injury sustained while labouring in his vocation, was that of Mr. Solloway, which occurred eight or nine years back in riding Wild-goose at Abergavenny; and, as he was up and about for some days after the chase, it can be little more than a matter of supposition to say he fell a victim to it. Barker's severe accident at Cheltenham last season cannot be considered as a fair example, it having befallen him at the finish of a six-mile chase; whereas the line was never intended to exceed the usual distance, and his horse consequently far more distressed than he otherwise would have been. In concluding our dissection of this charge, we may admit that there is some hazard in steeple-chasing; but let us at the same time ask if there be a field-sport in the world, which requires courage, skill, and exertion, not liable to the same accusation? Nay, does not this very feeling rather increase our pleasure and excitement?

"For, if a path be dangerous known,
The danger's self is lure alone."

Sportsmen have and will meet with accidents-perhaps with death itself-in pursuing their favourite recreations: either in angling on the bosom of Father Thames, or rousing the monarch of the forest from his lair, we cannot boast ourselves invulnerable; and a blow from a cricket-ball may inflict as severe and lasting injury as though it came from a rifle instead of the hand of a Mynn. Apropos, too, "now you speak of a gun," how many dreadful accidents we hear of in shooting parties! and I regret to say we have but too lately had cause to consider how terrible may be the consequences of one day's hunting. Again, race-horses have fallen dead in their stride, and jockeys have lost their lives from some unavoidable and unforeseen occurrence, or through unpardonable neglect on the part of those to whom their safety was principally entrusted. In a word, I maintain that the steeple chase is little more liable to the charge of cruelty or danger than the majority of other sports.

In the

The next point to which we may call attention is, "that the steeple chase seldom meets with the approbation of old and true sportsmen," another common cry with the opposition; let us admit that in some instances this may be the case with the old sportsman-and for his opinion I think we may find some tolerably good reasons. first place we do not expect the old sportsman to go with the front rank, and are therefore not disappointed at his refusing to take an active part in this kind of sport; then, we all know that old men, whether sportsmen or not, are apt to think there are no days like

"The days that they went gipsying,
A long time ago."

Still they do not abuse the sports which were in force in their youth, because they can fight their battles o'er again, and dilate upon their own individual prowess in one or all. But the steeple chase-psha! a new-fangled, modern innovation, fitted only for wild youngsters or

downright madmen; it must be bad, because they never practised it; or, like many other things, it cannot be worthy of their support, because -they know nothing about it. So much for the old sportsman, whose dicta on a subject of which he himself boasts he has little or no experience, can, when properly considered, carry weight in about the same proportion. Some "whole hog" men, however, go still further, and declare that the steeple chase is entirely supported by horsedealers and legs, when they might with equal propriety and veracity say the same of the turf. It is true that Mr. Elmore, amongst others, has been singularly successful, and for one of the best reasons (though not invariably a sequitur)-he has gone to the greatest expense, bought the best horses, employed the best jockeys, and brought his horses out in the best possible condition. He, I repeat, has carried off some of the most valuable stakes; but do we not see parallel cases on the turf? At the last Goodwood meeting, for instance, was not the stake won by a trainer, and the cup by a horsedealer? and do not the professionals in many other callings, as well as racing or steeple-chasing, generally get the best of it? Just, however, to prove that many of our leading sportsmen do not disdain to have their names coupled with the steeple chase, let us take the names of some of the stewards of last season's chases. The Marquis of Clanricarde; the Earls of Chesterfield, Eglinton, Cassilis, Sefton; Lords Rancliffe, Ward, A. St. Maur, Alford, Maidstone, A. Russell, Gifford, &c.; Hon. C. F. Berkeley, Hon. General Lygon, Hon. W. Coventry; Sir T. Winnington, Sir W. Watkins Wynn; George Payne, Esq.; H. De Burgh, Esq.; with many members of parliament, masters of foxhounds, and, in fact, the very highest, both as sportsmen and country gentlemen, a list of whom it is not necessary to give here, the above being quite sufficient to dispose of the assertion, that none but the cannaille affect this diversion.

It may be argued that these gentlemen undertook the office merely because they were leading men, and on the same terms they would have headed any other meeting to which they could offer no decided objection. This might tell, did we regard them only as leading men; but it is as sportsmen we mention their names; and masters of hounds, for example, would never give their aid in this indifferent manner, as by their presence or absence they definitely mark the opinion they entertain of the amusement; and most steeple chases, I am prepared to prove, are favoured with their support. Again, the stewards at the principal chases, as is the case with race-meetings, are chosen more for their influence in the sporting world than for what interest they may have in the vicinity of the course. But perhaps the most weighty argument which could be given in favour of our subject would be the names of the noblemen and gentlemen who have been, and are at present, in the habit of riding steeple chases, and who, in a word, comprise nearly all the gentlemen jockeys (class the first) now in practice. Let the reader who doubts this, run his eye over the list of the members of the Croxton Park Club, and then I think he will not be much inclined to dispute it. There he will see Waterford and Howth for Ireland, Eglinton and Drumlamig for Scotland, and Maidstone and Villiers for old England

each party with a tail as long as Dan's, of brilliant performers across country. "The Squire," Sir Harry Goodricke, Lord Kennedy, and the crack riders of their day, put the merits of themselves and their horses to the test of a steeple-chase over Leicestershire; and Lord Waterford, Lord Dysart, Mr. Villiers, and many stars now brightly shining" have followed their example over the same country. The fact of steeple-chasing being practised in this renowned quarter for fox-hunting seems to indicate that these two sports pull better together than some people would have us imagine. Opponents of this class raise their objections on the plea that one steeple chase gives the farmers more annoyance than a whole season's hunting. There are, no doubt, some tenants like their landlords, to whom I have already alluded as over-tenacious and inimical to any sport, or anything should it at all interfere with their prerogative; but the fact of farmers generally running horses for steeple-chases-which have, indeed, in many instances superseded hunters' stakes and yeomanry plates-proves this charge to be somewhat fallacious. The new fashion I think far preferable, by way of deciding the right to a farmers' prize, to running over the flat for it; in which case we too often see it carried off by some weed from a racing stable, of no service to a farmer but to win this race, for which purpose he was either bought or borrowed; while for a steeple-chase a horse must have some pretensions as a weight-carrier and a hunter, and, what is yet of greater importance, the contest far more likely to be an open one.

Having now disposed of all the arguments I can recollect, as generally brought forward against the steeple chase, I turn to a more agreeable part of our subject.

(To be continued.)

WORDS FOR MUSIC.

BY W. K. TAGGART.

'Tis many, many years ago
Since first I looked on thee;
And many fair and gentle ones
Have smiled since then on me.

But, lady, I have pined still
Thy face again to see;

For I have never felt for them

As I once felt for thee.

And wildly beats my heart, e'en now,
To think that thou art near;
And, like some olden melody,
Thy voice comes to my ear.

BIRTH, PARENTAGE, AND EDUCATION OF OUR HERO, SAMUEL MILSOM STYLES-AN OSTLER OF BY-GONE DAYS". -PORTSMOUTH AS IT WAS, AND AS IT IS A BLACK SHEEP AMONG THE TRAINERS-THE YOUNG JOCKEY IS INOCULATED WITH THE LOVE OF THE CAP AND JACKET-VISIT TO DITCHLEY RACES.

Samuel Milsom Styles was the son of what are usually called "honest and industrious parents," and among the "wise saws" that had been instilled into his youthful mind, were the two well-known axioms, many a little makes a mickle," and "a penny saved is a penny got." Samuel's father had for many years been ostler at one of the most thriving inns upon the London and Portsmouth roads, in those good old days of posting, before steam-coaches and railways were even in prospective existence. The elder Styles, who was only known under the name of "Sam Ostler," was as great a character, and as truly popular an one, as any in all England. He had a tact peculiar to himself of saying an appropriate word to every individual who changed horses at the Roebuck. In the times we write of, the war, which ended so happily for us on the plains of Waterloo, was being carried on; and few in these days would believe in the past glory of Portsmouth, and the bustle and life that was every day to be seen on its road. Who, that now stops to change horses at Kingston, Guildford, or Godalming, could imagine there was a time when, for want of horses, you were often detained some hours? Who, that strolls