It has been argued that in the days of old there was really good work to be done, as English horses, previous to the advent of the illustrious foreigners, were "nothing to speak of," and, consequently, in need of the very elements which the Arabian horses were formed to supply, and which, having been got, now remain with us for all time. As has been pointed out by competent authorities, there are horses in the East, other than those of Arabia, which deserve consideration; the difficulty is how to obtain good examples of them. It is supposed that not one of the really fine Eastern Barbs or other horses can be purchased for any amount of money. As a matter of fact stallions are rare, being owned chiefly by the heads of tribes, who only can afford to keep them; poorer persons are quite contented to have a mare--"a mare," they say, "that produces a mare is the head of riches," and all Arabs are strong believers in the proverb of their country that "the foal follows the stallion." FOOTNOTES: [1] In Whyte's "History of the Turf" it is stated that the earliest mention of running horses is of those in the 9th century sent by the founder of the Royal house of Capet, in France, as a present to King Athelstan, whose sister he was soliciting in marriage. [2] Bribing. [3] The foregoing notes, it is proper to state, have been "collected" and adapted from a variety of books and periodicals too numerous to mention, and must be taken "errors excepted." NEWMARKET IN EARLY DAYS. "Newmarket may truly be styled the classic ground of racing, and it is there only that this delightful sport may be said to exist in perfection. No crowd, no booths impede the view; none of those discordant noises which make a perfect babel of other racecourses distract the attention. The number of spectators seldom exceeds 500, and they are mostly of the higher classes, the majority on horseback, with perhaps a few close carriages and barouches." The words given above were written previous to 1840, by a well-known turf historian. Since then numerous changes have occurred at Newmarket, the sacred heath having even on occasions been invaded by "the roughs." At one period the place was doubtless all that has been pictured, and, as "head-quarters," the metropolis of the turf, it has always been of importance to racing men, and a well-known seat of training for horses and riders. As many probably as 1,000 race-horses of all ages, it has been computed, are housed in the training stables of Newmarket. In considering the part which Newmarket has played in the history of the turf, it will be as well, however, to begin at the beginning. In the days of the second Charles, Newmarket was highly favoured by King and Court. Although the breezy downs of Epsom were much nearer London, His Majesty, with a party of friends in his train, visited Newmarket much oftener than he did any other centre of racing or hunting sports.