"That long gemman with the velvet cap, and the queer riggingout, is Mr. H -d, who, when on his black mare, with his red coat covering her flanks, reminds one so much of a hanxious croupier, that he has obtained the subricket (soubriquet) of 'Rouge and Noir;' the strong built gent., with his hair cut so close, and the C. H. on his buttons, is Squire B-n of Fulmodeston, a very good 'un across country, and, has some owdacious osses; next as follows, is the master of the 'unt Squire Sandiford, he's jist a gettin' on his celebrated 'unter, Spot; the gemman in the green coat, and the red belcher, with lots of light 'air, is Mr. W—n, of F- -m, a great solicitor in these parts; him next him, is his brother; no difference outwardly twixt 'em (as the showman says of the she and he lions), only the latter wears more air; the little dark gent., with them black ringlets-sich a dandy-as is looking so 'ard at you, is unbeknown to me; some says he's Count Mustard-Whiskers (Matuszewic, I suppose he meant); some a Frenchman; but his groom says, he's an uncommon hand at getting along on a rum 'un;* behind him, in the Newmarket coat, is Mr. Bm, a heminent surwayor; he was the first as made the joke 'bout the new hact for tithes :-'Tithes commutation, be d-d!' says he; call it a bill for the relief of insolwent land agents;' next is his brother, a leary cove, and sings like a good 'un; next to he (but here the stream carried us on, and I was separated from my newsman)." * Watton is a long, straggling village, five miles from end to end, three of which, at least, had contributed to furnish "the damaged articles," that crowded round the inn door. I must testify to the shout of greeting which hailed my appearance on Rearing Sam; and the inquiries "whether my mother knew I was out?" were as numerous as flattering. Sam himself, a gaunt, raw-boned leader, seemed proud of his honours, and curvetted with most dangerous agility. I didn't care for that, for a strong double whipcord secured my knees to the saddle; and, if we fell, we fell together: our articles of partnership were strictly binding. Slowly moved the procession, headed by the cart; at each step our rabble increasing ;-the horsemen from the surrounding country, on every shape and size of animal, from the hundredguinea colt, to the two-guinea "basin of dogs'-broth," swelling the animated stream. Epping might count more numerous, but not more fervid votaries; and thus on we passed, singing, shouting, laughing, and joining in chorus, with the old refrain, "This day a stag shall die!" 66 till we came to Bland's pastures, when the canvas covering being suddenly lifted from the cart, out bounded the queen of the forest, a lovely spotted fallow doe :"-Yoicks! tantivy! tantivy! yoicks! And now began a scene which "baffles description:" in vain the whips roared to "give her law;" in vain the dandy shrieked that we were "sanguineous cockneys, demme !" in vain some sturdy yeomen rushed in amongst the maddened multitude-savage nature broke forth -the love of the chase, as inherent in man as in the fell wolf, tri Mr. F. L-s-da, one of the finest-nerved riders at Melton, in the season of 1836-7, had the reputation of taking an indifferent nag across country better than any man there.-ED. umphed over the little restraint which ignorance had allowed to these Norfolk boors. Onwards, onwards, o'er pasture and arable, o'er fence and brook, dashed the breathless deer, frightened, paralysed almost, by the unearthly whoops and yellings which pursued her. Had not one farmer, at length, at the turn of a lane, headed the mob, and, with his loaded whip, threatened destruction to the first that passed, our sport had there been finished; our deer ignobly murdered. However, thanks to this diversion of the farmer, she got a few fields a-head, during which momentary calm, the dandy (on a magnificent brown gelding) took occasion to harangue the canaille (as he called them), and to rap out some most orthodox and aristocratic oaths, which had the further effect of gaining two minutes; but "the tail" now pushed forward "the head;" and a regiment, with fixed bayonets, could not have "Newportized" the scoundrels. Onwards, onwards, they rush, but it is too late the deer is a mile a-head. Horse and foot, "each thicket serves to thin 'em." Thanks to Diana, we were clear. All good men and true, were rapidly sailing across a desperately enclosed country, the hounds tearing along, as fast as they could lay legs to the ground. Yoicks! tantivy! At first I shut my eyes, and trusted to Providence; but, finding the whipcord held me pretty safe, and that Rearing Sam was going the pace "like threacle," I ventured to open my orbits-just in time too--for a whacking bough was across my nose, making them tingle a few; and when I did recover the shock, what a glorious scene! The hounds were racing—a cigar stuck into a little chap was leading the dandy and the masters were with them, whilst myself and some twenty others were "going the entire animal well up. Onwards! was still the cry: Charge, Chester, charge!" shouted I, as I rushed Sam at a gate-for I was as mad as my horse. "Bravo!" holloaed the whip, as I landed safe on t'other side. "Well done, post-boy!" sung another. Then came some deep country, and some awful fences-the whereabouts I cannot relate. But, before that memorable day was closed, the squire of Fulmodeston was done brown; and, though fond of "pounding" (betting), he, himself, was "pounded." His Christopher* looked green. The master of the C. H., hitherto of untarnished reputation as a sportsman, when on foot in a plough, regretted he was "spotless;" and, strange anomaly! when this objection was removed, he was still "above all spot." The F——m lawyer answered to a "capias" issued by Mother Earth-his brother to a "peremptory ejectment." The surveyor surpassed himself in exactitude, for he surveyed even the bottom of a ditch. The dandy screwed up his courage to switch a rasper, but he screwed up his horse at the same moment. Alas! no screw could do it. Our gentleman jock, who, at starting, delighted in the name of Ben Land, became, when in a pit, Ben LandED-he changed his name-but the only accession of Land was on his coat, whilst his arms, from "gules,' became "gules chequered vert." A grazier, who rode riotously, was soon himself "taken in to grass;" and, though the dealer had fairly disposed of many horses, this time his horse fairly disposed of him! A cracksman (crack man) tried the fence, but it was "no go." It was a surgeon's first essay; yet, to see him hanging by his horse's mane, The whip, Christopher Green. 66 Mr. S.'s favourite horse is called Spot. you might have predicted of him that "he was a desperate rider”— for, with him, it was literally "neck or nothing." His mare, too, rolled about in the most extraordinary manner; though not fit to go to the foxhounds, she was warranted with "the staggers." A banker (who should have known better) had ventured out;-long did he endeavour to keep his balance-and succeeded pretty well; in spite of his blundering arithmetic, in subtracting the top line from the bottom, he cleared a flight of rails; but his account was finally wound-up by a bank breaking, and bang—he stopped; in short, all might admit "There was another Flora there, Besides the queen of flowers." Yet am I proud to say, that, in the midst of all this, Sam held his own -if we were down together, we were up together; and when we did come to a stand still, at the end of twenty-five minutes, it was with distended nostrils and flashing eye that Rearing Sam, right opposite the deer at bay, gathered me my bays. In the words of the last halfprice I saw "one laurel leaf's worth more Than all the diamonds pulled from dead men's brows!" And so I felt it at the moment. Hastily cutting the whipcord, I calmly received the master's congratulations :-I pardoned even the dandy's puppyism, when he swore I was a trump, demme!" I was condoled with for loss of my tails, and declined a friendly offer to go and look for them; and, finally, completed my triumph by riding into the Crown yard between the squire and the dandy, as James afterwards said, "to the heternal 'onor of the 'ouse, and all connected with her,"-an asseveration confirmed by Dick, who declared "Hi vas a 'untsman hall hover blest if I vorn't!" Why, Mr. Editor, trespass on your patience by relating how I hobnobbed with the nobs? Why recall the complimentary things that were said? Why add that, with divers flagons, "We fought the battle o'er again, And thrice we slew the slain ?" Suffice it that, in due time, I handed my friends to their carriage; the landlord bowed profoundly; the servants ducked their heads; the "lads" raised their whips; round went the patent Colderidge's, and I was again alone. The excitement of reality had gone, and "Like some baseless fabric of a vision, Left scarce a wreck behind." That "wreck" I send you; and am your obedient servant, A TRAVELLER IN BOMBAZINES. We print the signature affixed by our talented and piquant correspondent; but, from one or two delicate hits, we strongly suspect our "Traveller to be "a brother of the craft," if not "AN AMATEUR."-ED. "THE CHASE, THE SPORT OF BRITAIN'S KINGS;" WITH A FEW REMARKS ON THE APPROACHING ROYAL NUPTIALS. BY LORD WILLIAM LENNOX. "Hunting is the noblest exercise : Search, sharpness, courage, and defence, BEN JONSON'S MASQUES. It would be needless to enumerate the heroes of old who delighted in hunting, or the many great men who have united in recommending it. From the earliest periods the sports of the field have been followed by all nations, and the chase has ever been regarded, no less by the monarch than the subject, as a pursuit, in the highest degree, manly and warlike; beneficial, useful, and agreeable. From the philosophic Xenophon, throughout every link in the human creation, to the lowest individual, has not hunting been admired? It has been a theme worthy the praise of Milton and the most eminent poets. Hunting was the exercise of the greatest heroes of antiquity: by this they formed themselves for war. Commence we then, with "Nimrod, the founder Of empire and chase, Who made the woods wonder, The two Cyruses were devoted to hunting; the latter had a deer-park at Celenes, a town of Phrygia. The Lacedæmonians were greatly addicted to hunting; it was their ruling passion: their dogs are mentioned by Virg. Georg. iii. 405. "Nec tibi cura canum fuerit postrema; sed una Aut impacatos a tergo horrebis Iberos. Horace recommends the chase to his "Liberrime Lolli." "Romanis solenne viris opus, utile famæ Vitæque et membris: præsertim quum valeas et Lib. i. Epistle 18. Pliny the Younger, writing to Tacitus, boasts of a chase in which he had taken three wild boars; and the Roman Emperors, in their monuments, transmitted to future ages the glories of the chase. The ancient Britons, who came originally from Gaul, brought with them an ardent passion for the chase. Ossian describes a day on the hills :" Fingal, call my dogs, the long-bounding sons of the chase-call white 66 THE CHASE, THE SPORT OF BRITAIN'S KINGS. 99 breasted Bran, and the surly strength of Luath; the shrill sound spreads along the woods. A thousand dogs fly off at once, gay bounding through the heath. A deer fell by every dog, three by white-breasted Bran." The dexterity of Ptolemy Epiphanes in hunting is well-known his ambassador boasted to the Athenians, that his master had killed a wild bull with a single arrow. The Romans, at first apprehensive that hunting, which so easily becomes a passion, might divert the citizens from their duties, held it in contempt; but, sensible that the dangers incident to it would inure men to war and slaughter, entertained the people with representations of the hunting of wild beasts. In an old French treatise upon hunting, the title of which is "La Venerie de Jacques du Fouilloux," published in Paris in 1573, the author, in his dedication to Charles the Ninth of France, observes, "that attending to such exercises as promote health, vigour, and jocundity, are highly commendable, amongst which none are comparable," in his estimation, "to the delights of the chase." There is much humour in his remarks on the character and convivial disposition of a true sportsman, whose noble occupation, he says, exhilarates the mind, gives agility to the body, and strength to the appetite, maintaining that it increases courage and resolution for dangerous exploits. James the Sixth of Scotland recommended hunting to his son, as an honourable and noble sport, as the following letter will prove :"DEARE SON, "Amongst all the vnnecessarie thinges that are lawfull and expident, I thinke exercises of the bodie moste commendable to be vsed by a young Prince in such honest games or pastimes, as may further abilitie and maintaine health. The exercises that I would have you to vse (although but moderatelie, not making a craft of them) are running, leaping, fencing, dancing, and playing at the caitche or tennisse, archery, and such like other faire and pleasant field-games. And the honorablest and most commendable games that ye can vse are on horseback; for it becometh a Prince best of anie man to be faira and a good horseman, and speciallie vse such games on horseback, as may teache you to handle your armes thereon; suche as the tilt, the ring, and lowe riding for handling your sword. I cannot omit heere the hunting, namelie, with running houndes, which is the most honorable and noblest sorte thereof; for it is a theevish forme of hunting to sporte with gunnes, and bowes; and grey hound hunting is not so martiall a game. But becaus I would not be thought a partiall praiser of this sport, I remit you to Zenophon, an olde and famous writer, who had no mind of flattering you or me in this purpose, and who also setteth down a faire pattern for the education of a young King, under the supposed name of Cyrus.” In England, hunting has ever been a favourite diversion, and has for ages been pursued with an uniformity almost permanent; and the attachment of our countrymen to the sports of the field has given them health and courage, vigour of body, and a gallant contempt of danger, the uniform effect on those nations that have cultivated them. Without pursuing these remarks any farther, we will now enter into a short historical dissertation on the "Royal Sportsmen" of "merrie England," as far back as any certain account of them can be traced. "In Albion's isle, when glorious Edgar reign'd, wise, potent, gracious prince; His subjects from their cruel foes he saved; And from rapacious savages, their flocks. Cambria's proud kings (though with reluctance) paid |