ebrated stallions were imported.

"George, Prince of Denmark, was a great amateur of horse-racing. He
obtained from his royal consort, Queen Anne, grants of royal plates
for several places, among which Epsom is, however, not mentioned.

"King George I. is not handed down to us as a sporting character; but
towards the latter end of his reign, the change of the royal plates
into purses of hundred guineas each took place.

"In the 13th year of the reign of King George II., an act, cap. 19.
was passed, 'to restrain and prevent the excessive increase of horse
races.'

"By this act, after reciting 'that the great number of horse races for
small plates, prizes, or sums of money had contributed very much to
the encouragement of idleness, to the impoverishment of many of the
meaner sort of the subjects of this kingdom, and to the prejudice of
the breed of strong and useful horses;' it was enacted that no person
should, thenceforth, enter and start more than one horse, mare or
gelding, for one and the same plate, prize, or sum of money. And that
no plate, or prize of a less value than 50l. should be run for,
under the penalty of 200l.

"It was also by the same act further enacted, that at every such race,
for a plate or prize of the value of 50l. and upwards, each horse,
if five years old, should carry ten stone; if six years old, eleven
stone; and if seven years old, twelve stone. And that the owner of any
horse, carrying less than the specified weight, should forfeit his
horse, and pay the penalty of 200l."

(_TO BE CONCLUDED IN OUR NEXT_.)

* * * * *

THE SELECTOR; AND LITERARY NOTICES OF NEW WORKS.

* * * * *

THE FAIR OF MAY FAIR.

The volumes of sketches of fashionable life with this quaint title
will serve to amuse a few inveterate novel-readers; while occasional
pages may induce others to take up the thread of the narrative. The
flying follies of high life, or rather, we think, of affected ton,
are hit off with truth and vigour, and there is a pleasantry in
the writer's style which is an acceptable relief to the dulness of
common-place details. We shall endeavour to detach a scene or two,
one, as a specimen of "the art of ingeniously tormenting," and the
incipient waywardness of a newly-married pair.

"From the first months of his domestication with his wife at Wellwood
Abbey, Sir Henry Wellwood had intended, had _longed_, to commence his