24 SEPTEMBER 1892, Page 25

A Mirror of the Turf. By J. H. Curzon. (Chapman

and Hall.) —"Racing," writes Mr. Curzon in his preface, " has unfortunately become a ' business ' of the most sordid kind ; the majority of the men engaged in the ' sport' run their horses only as 'instruments of gambling.' " This is the substance of what he has to say. He does not write, indeed, as a moralist, and he cannot be accused of not knowing his subject, for he is acquainted with all its minutia; but this is what it comes to. It is a pity that the Law Courts do not absolutely refuse to take any cognisance of turf transactions ; credit betting would then cease to be, or would at least receive a great discouragement. Those who are curious to know more about this subject will find all they want in the Mirror of the Turf.