The sun., 1908-12-27
'BHGLISH TURF CHARACTERS
STORIES or NOTABLE CELEBRI.
TIES IN THE SPORT.

1 BtOfhtB " hNfYulb " AAlbaUDfy
Duke or Hamilton and Gel. NoFth
No sport In the world has produced
more peculiar characters than the Eng
lish turf, and from the days Of Tregon
we'll Frampton, the father of Euglisf
racing to the present day each genera
tion has had its quota OF eccentric celebr
ties. Now and again anecdotes Of thess
men would appear In print, but for thu
most part the yarns were inconsistent
and poorly told. lacking the real snaI
OF the sporting tale. However, quit
recently the "reminiscences of number
Of the foremost characters have beer
collected and published under the htlt
OF sPiccadiliy to Pail Mall" and 1t Il
most interesting reading.
Abiding to Sir Robert Peel as a sport
ing character OF an older generation,
his career was striking and consplcuoul
instance OF highly gifted and clevel
man Gripping himself upon the turf
In appearance Sir Robert was per
sonaGty not easily to be forgotten;
big burly man with bullet shaped head
eyes restless with mischief thick ror
gray mustaohe. his hat tilted ut an anglt
OF forty-five degrees. the folds OF his
ample coat futtering in the wind anc
his hands clasped behind his back. Ir
his last years he bore down the shady
side Of Piocadilly, irresistibly reminding
one of some Old World three decker. He
belonged indeed as much to the past
| as to the latter, being born when the
nineteenth century was young and dying
| ~ hoa t4xwa a,,l ;fo oIaaa
His eager interest in everything, how
ever, continued unabated to the end
being extended over 80 wide an area az
to include the latest theological contro-
versy or a billiard match at the club be-
tween indifferent players for an insig-
niflcant stake. Besides this he retained
an excellent memory and was full of
"reminiscences Of the Peel administrations,
Catholic emancipation, Lola Montes,
Palmerston, Lady >Blessington and Count
dQrsay-a strange survival Of another
age living in full accord and sympathy
with younger generation with interests
Of totally different order. His own
youth had been one Of q somewhat turbu-
lent kind. Fond Of fun and frolic II was
said that having come into collision with
the police. who threatened to run him In
for some exuberant prank. his retort,
Ny father didn't create you to arrest
me- so staggered the representatives OF
the force, then in it's infancy, that they
let him 60.
-Sir Robert possessed remarkable
personality. With magnificent Old World
courtly manners, his sef-confdenoe, in
particular, was invincible. Attracting the
friendship Of all he scrupulously returned
1t with familiar acquaintanceship. A born
orator, he exoelled less on account Of
what he said than for the manner with
which he said it. Somewhat lacking in
real enthusiasm he could never communi-
cate the contagious conviction of Mr..
Gladstone, but as an oratorical actor he
was never surpassed. His pure English,
precise pronunciation and exquisitely
perfect voice, answering easily as II
were TO the very slightest touch of either
pedal, his happy knack Of wrapping up
sarcasm in AN elaborately and punctili-
ously courteous sentence, his plausible
argument. generally founded upon irf-
accurate facts; these and many other
circumstances rendered speech by Sir
Robert Peel an event In the life Of any
man whose privilege it was TO hear It.
"As he resumed his seat, however. the
irrepressible teii.ssla twinkle Of his eyes
somehow betrayed the insincerity Of the
performance, while within FIVE minutes
of delivering a powerful speech advooat-
ing one view of the question he would
readily deliver a second defending another
view diametrically opposed to it; nor did
he possess any great sense OF proportion.
His irresistible oratory. for instance.
replete with dignity, gravity and SOL
emnity sufficient to overthrow a govern
ment or terrify truculent foreign Power.
would at times be utilized in declaiming
against some detail Of trifiing importance.
such as the carelessness OF a kitchen |
maid in serving an III cooked chop. He
used as it were. Nasmyth hammer to
crush watch glass, Perhaps the most
suitable epitaph for Sir Robert is to say |
that he was the most brilliant failure of
his age.
aAt the end OF his life the turf had long
ceased to know him. but even then he re-
tanned q warm. IL Of necessity somewhat
platoaic. interest in racing. eagerly dis |
the merits and chances Of pros-
pective winners Of classic events.
Another picturesque figure Of totally
kind was the Duke Of Hamilton.
who before his marriage attracted general
attention and was for a time probably
the most popular man in Europe. Built
upon an extensive scale. possessing
heart to match his physical proportions
and fortune which was regal he spent
his money royalty. The son Of Princess
Marie Of Baden. he had been brought up
in the atmosphere Of court life and in a
We'd in magnihoence with the
-oyalties Of his day. IL was he who to
, considerable extent first popularized
England and English customs. among
he golden youth OF Europe. for he was
lust as well known throughout the
Continent as he was in England, II is
lificult TO estimate what he must have
spent during the few years that he
uttered about as cosmopolitan butter
", but at the time report had IL that his
state was diminished by million OF
money. Nevertheless. from certain
ooint Of view II is impossible that the
money was altogether III spent. Il was
luxury OF life at it's best, without the
slightest taint OF vulgarity:
For many years the Duke Of Hamilton
lid good deal Of racing In France, but
oward the end OF his life. owing to some
'light. either fancied or real. his colors
we're seldom II ever seen on the race
courses around Paris. Nowhere perhaps
ha uN k4R..A hn IA h. I