most ingenious coach-builder of the day, devoted the whole resources
of his skill to its construction, and produced a vehicle formed partly
of wood and partly of whale-bone, with silk harness, that came up
to the wishes of his employer. Four blood horses of approved speed
were then selected, and the course at Newmarket chosen as the ground
of contest. On the day appointed, 29th of August, 1750, noble and
ignoble gamesters journeyed from far and near to witness the wonderful
experiment; excitement reached the highest point, and bets to an
enormous amount were made. At length the jockeys mounted; the carriage
was put in motion, and rushing on with a velocity marvelous in those
times of coach traveling, but easily conceived by us railway travelers
of the nineteenth century, gained within the stipulated hour the goal
of victory."

* * * * *


THE DECAY OF GREAT FAMILIES.

Not the least valuable parts of Burke's just published "Anecdotes of
the Aristocracy," are a species of essay on the fortunes of families.
The following is from a chapter on their decadence:

"It has often occurred to us that a very interesting paper might
be written on the rise and fall of English families. Truly does Dr.
Borlase remark that 'the most lasting houses have only their seasons,
more or less, of a certain constitutional strength. They have their
spring and summer sunshine glare, their wane, decline, and death.'
Take, for example, the Plantagenets, the Staffords, and the Nevills,
the three most illustrious names on the roll of England's nobility.