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235
The Private Papers of Henry Ryecroft
·
George Gissing
43
Even
the
best
editions
of
our
day
have
so
much
of
the
mere
school-book;
you
feel
so
often
that
the
man
does
not
regard
his
author
as
literature,
but
simply
as
text.
Pedant
for
pedant,
the
old
is
better
than
the
new.
XIV.
To-day's
newspaper
contains
a
yard
or
so
of
reading
about
a
spring
horse-
race.
The
sight
of
it
fills
me
with
loathing.
It
brings
to
my
mind
that
placard
I
saw
at
a
station
in
Surrey
a
year
or
two
ago,
advertising
certain
races
in
the
neighbourhood.
Here
is
the
poster,
as
I
copied
it
into
my
note-book:
"Engaged
by
the
Executive
to
ensure
order
and
comfort
to
the
public
attending
this
meeting:--
14
detectives
(racing),
15
detectives
(Scotland
Yard),
7
police
inspectors,
9
police
sergeants,
76
police,
and
a
supernumerary
contingent
of
specially
selected
men
from
the
Army
Reserve
and
the
Corps
of
Commissionaires.
The
above
force
will
be
employed
solely
for
the
purpose
of
maintaining
order
and
excluding
bad
characters,
etc.
They
will
have
the
assistance
also
of
a
strong
force
of
the
Surrey
Constabulary."
I
remember,
once,
when
I
let
fall
a
remark
on
the
subject
of
horse-racing
among
friends
chatting
together,
I
was
voted
"morose."
Is
it
really
morose
to
object
to
public
gatherings
which
their
own
promoters
declare
to
be
dangerous
for
all
decent
folk?
Every
one
knows
that
horse-racing
is
carried
on
mainly
for
the
delight
and
profit
of
fools,
ruffians,
and
thieves.
That
intelligent
men
allow
themselves
to
take
part
in
the
affair,
and
defend
their
conduct
by
declaring
that
their
presence
"maintains
the
character
of
a
sport
essentially
noble,"
merely
shows
that
intelligence
can
easily
enough
divest
itself
of
sense
and
decency.
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