ROYAL ASCOT

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 34, 8 August 1925, Page 19

ROYAL ASCOT

A TRIUMPH OF CONVENTION

HORSE RACING AND CLERICAL

ENDEAVOUR,

The accusation that Britain takei her pleasures sadly is often denied, but denials ring a little hollow in this particular week and in view of the solemnity with which we carry through the observance of Ascot. Epsom in Derby Wook has always a certain carnival air; Goodwood is a sylvan wind-up to tho season. But Ascot is regarded as tho culmination of the season, and apparently we must taka it very sreiously indeed, declares a correspondent of tho "Manchester Guardian." If any cyuioal philosopher ovor strays on to the Eoyal Heath during that week ha must bo reminded of a puppet show with the god of irony working the strings. Everything is so exactly organised; probably there ia a minute somewhere laying down the number of flowering plants for each bed; tho season may bo early or Into, but details of this kind are not allowed to interfere with the sameness of Ascot. If, by some untoward storm, every tree in the neighbourhood were stripped of leaves a few days before the week of Ascot, it may be believed that means would be found to repair the damage. Even the war had no real effect on Ascot; everything 1 concerned with it was co carefully laid down that there was no difficulty in beginning the series again, precisely true to type, after the war was over.

A person who knew nothing »t all of British national customs might be excused for thinking that Ascot was some kind of religioui celebration—as, indeed, from one angle of view, it is—for people are as serious there as the peasant is in church in unaccustomed broadcloth on a blazing morning. Men, at least, know that the clothes they must wear at Ascot are singularly ridiculous on a country heath whether it is fine or wet, and it may be our determination to give no sign of our knowledge which makes us so solemn. A laugh might give tho whole thing away; even a smile might be dangerous; at all costs ws must keep up the illusion and must seem to be doing something peil--fectly_ natural. Ascot is not far short of being the most completely artificial fostival in the world, but all that is conservative in us forbids any general admissions on the subject. Ascot has been the most royally favoured of all race meetings over since that August day in 1711 when Queen Anne drove in efcato on to Ascot Common to applaud the winnor of tho first race for a £50 plate. Sines that distant day it has baaked in the smiles of successive generations of royalties. The Duke of Cumberland, son of the second Georga. and George in. took it into very special favour; George IV., when Princo of Wales, made many a journey thero, riding the near leader of his coach-and-four, while tho postillions lolled luxuriously inside; and Willfam IV. instructed his trainer to run "the whole squad" of his horses at Ascot—"first-raters and gunboats." Quoen Victoria first saw Ascot, us a girl, in the company of William and his Queen, and a few years later had for escort Tsar Nicholas I. of Russia and the King of Saxony.

Ascot has in its time been the residence of several celebrated scholars, including Dean Liddell, who with Dean Scott "invented the Greek language." And Dr. Pusey made his home there when not at Oxford. This once led to an amusing blunder. A sporting parson, visiting Christ Church during the second week of June, asked the lute Osborne Gordon, the censor and a famous wit, how Dr. Pusey was going on, and was told that he had "gone to Ascot." "Eh? What? God bless my soul!" exclaimed .the astonished cleric, "You don't mean to tell me that old Pusoy has gone racing at his time of life?" "Well," wickedly replied Gordon, "I can tell you for certain (hat ho is making a book, at Ascot." The "book" l)r. I'iifiey was really "making" wus n voluminous notnineiitiu'y on the "Minor Prophets." but his clerical admiral' went away with his ideal sailly shattered. The spot in tho pints woods where Dr. Pusey used to pray has become, a venerated resort for "Anglo-Catholic" interims. Another celebrated ecclesiastic, Father Suckling, (lie famous vicar of St. Alban's, Holborn, who figured so prominently for fifty years in "ritual" controversies, passed his last flays at Ascot Priory.