in every shape; his Lordship was a man of the world, and not that fastidious sort of personage to view men, as it were, through a microscope, to obtain a knowledge of their feelings and manners. He mixed with society in all its different shades; he heard men talk according to their situations in life; he saw their gestures, and he listened to their opinions, as a kind of finger post to become acquainted with the various traits of human nature; he warmly supported his brother poet's idea:

"That a man's a man for a' and a' that."

The late Lord Byron has been seen with several other first-rate characters in the veteran Tom Cribb's house enjoying his glass of wine,and conversing upon subjects connected with the sporting world, in the most animated style; indeed, his lordship was well aware that an author whose intentions were to display something like ORIGINALITY in his writings, ought to view every thing in the different walks of life with the most marked attention. The movements of mankind were very important features in the "tablet of his memory," and to be treasured up with advantage to himself, in order to be improved upon at his leisure, and made known to the public at some future period of his existence, with all the embellishments of a superior artist, after he manner of

"The poet's eye in a fine phrensy rolling." As a proof of the above assertion, it should seem that Lord Byron was most anxious to establish himself in the opinion of the world as a painter of real life-that his likenesses were correct to a shade, and likewise his characters on the canvas should discover their own natural dialogue, without the aid of art. His Lordship, to show his versatility of talent, and his intimate knowledge of the various grades of society, had no objection now and then to give the "sublime and beautiful" touches of his pen a holiday, that he might descend a few steps from his high abode in the literary world, even with propriety, as a writer on men and manners, amidst the lowest of the "low folks, to describe some "doings," with a peculiarity of touch; exhibiting a fidelity of research; and sanctioned by the glowing colours of truth. The following quotation from the poem of Don Juan, Canto XI., stanza 19, and notes, will amply suffice :

"

"He from the world had cut off a great man
Who in his time had made heroic bustle;
Who in a row, like Tom, could lead the van,
Booze in the ken, or at the spell-ken hustle!
Who queer a FLAT! Who (spite of Bow-street's ban)
On the high toby-spice so flash the muzzle;
Who on a lark, with black-eyed Sal (his blowing)
So prime, so well, so smutty, and so knowing!*

If there be any gemman so ignorant as to require a traduction, I refer him to my old friend and corposeal pastor and master, John Jackson, Esq., professor of pugilism; who, I trust, still retains the strength and symmetry of his model of a form, together with ais good bumanr, and athletic as well as mental accomplishments.

The advance of science and of language has rendered it unnecessary to translate the above good and true English, spoken in its original purity by the select mobility and their patrons. The following is a stanza of a song which was very popular, at least in my early days:

"On the high toby-spree flash the muzzle
In spite of each gallows old scout,
If you at the spell kin can't hustle
You'll be hobbled in making a clout.
Then your blowing will wax gallows haughty,
When she hears of your scaly mistake,
She'll surely turn smitch for the forty,

That her Jack may be regular weight."

N. B. In accordance with the above wish of the late Lord Byron, although at the distance of several years since Don Juan made its appearance before the public, the numerous friends in the sporting world of Mr. Jackson will be pleased to hear that he does retain his good humour, and athletic as well as mental accomplishments; the following letter having been lately received by the editor of the "BOOK OF SPORTS."

Written by THOMAS TUCKER, one of the Cruck* Club.

The present period appears to be "the reign of the TOMMY'S," in the world of poetry, and, rather singular to observe, they have all amused the state, and the community have been highly pleased with their productions. There are to be met with, if the reader should have the good fortune to pounce upon them, in some of his strolls of an evening in the metropolis, the justly celebrated Anacreon TOMMY Moore; the delightful " Pleasures of Hope," TOMMY Campbell; the merry Punster, TOMMY Hood; the Spellt Writer, TOMMY Dibdin; the Crack Poet, TOMMY Tucker; "and last, though not least, in our dear loves," the convivial Poet, TOMMY Hudson, who not only writes his songs, but sings them excellently well" into the bargain, and in a style of real comic humour, peculiar to himself. In consequence of Dan. Dab, being a. CRACK, the; or, ALL THE CRACK. The fashion able theme. The Go!-Grose,

66

Spell-a cant term for the Theatre

crack article in the regions of fun and laughter, and some of the literary pirates of the day having made an attempt to rob TOMMY Tucker of the merit due to his song, we are induced more especially, on that account, to give publicity to it, that TOMMY may enjoy the crack of his own composition.

SONG.

There was a man, named Daniel Dabb,
(A hapless man was he),
Who sometime lived in a sea-port,
But it was not Portsea.
He dealt in fish and mended shoes,
But could not make it do,
Although he sometimes sold a fish,
And sometimes soled a shoe.
So of a quack he learned to bleed,
And draw teeth with precision,
And as he knew the heeling art,
He set up as physician.

He took a cellar, which you know
Is always under ground,
And sometimes heel'd a pair of shoes,
And sometimes heal'd a wound.

By fish and shoes and drugs,' said he,
I hope I shall rise higher,
For by a cellar I can't live,

Unless I have a buyer.

On wealth I've staked my all and last,
And trust that I shall win it,
For if a tray of trades won't win,

I think the deuce is in it.'

But people would not have teeth drawn,
Because it gave them pain;

And bleeding, when folks will not bleed,
You know is all in vein,
One day, when at his cellar-head
He sat with doleful face,

A servant maid came up to him,
And asked him for a plaice.
He'd herrings shotten, though not shot,
That shone like any gem,

And though he placed them all in rows,
Roes had no place in them.

Says Sue, they are all skin and scales,
And full of bones within ;'
Says he, I've mussels without bones,
And very little skin!

Says Sue, 'they're poison, though I own
That I for some with soy long;

And as for poison I've heard say,
The French call all fish poisson.
But I should like a little fish.'

Says Dan, I've no white bait;
And as the eels are slippery things,
You'd better take a skate.'
'Oh no, a plaice I want, 'says Sue:'
Says Dan, this is the case,
Because I was not out in time,
You see I'm out of plaice.'
Indeed,' says Sue, 'why so am I,
My mistress wants one stronger;
And though she says I am too short,
She does not want me longer.'
If that's the case, dear Sue,' says Dan,
Why something must be done
So as we two are out of place,

Why let us two make one.

To mend folk's shoes, and serve them fish,
Some want of help I feels;
So while I drive nails in their toes,
Why you can skin your eels.'

Oh, no,' says Sue, that will not do!
I'll find some other work;

For since you are a mussel-mar
You'd use me like a Turk.

So off she ran, and left poor Dan

A disappointed elf;

And when he'd cried fish all that day,
At night he cried himself.

In spite of the doctor's well-known confidence, he was to be managed-and he was frequently defeated against his will, when he least expected it: although eccentric to the very echo of eccentricity, yet the eccentric man had the best chance with him in overcoming his peculiarities: the blunt man often got the better of the doctor's rudeness; and the bold hero, something after the manner of "Greek to Greek," more than once or twice proved his master. The following incidents will illustrate his eccentricity. A jolly-hearted fox-hunter in the neighbourhood of Doncaster, one of those choice-spirits who had lived rather "too fast" for his constitution-devoted to his lass and his glass-fond of his dog and his gun-and "Yoicks! hark forward, tally ho!" to him far sweeter sounds than Braham's 'Beautiful maid'-felt himself out of sorts-in other words, he could not tell what was the matter with him; he therefore consulted the Bolus of the place, of whom the whole parish declared no man could better

Gild a pill,
Make a bill,

Or bleed or blister!

But the country apothecary, with all his Caleb Quotem sort of talent, proved of no use to the fox-hunter; the complaint of the latter got worse and worse, and he was determined to consult, without any more delay, one of the faculty in London. Abernethy was pointed out to him as most likely to make him hearty again; but, at the same time, it was intimated to him the reception he would probably meet "Never mind," with on making his bow.

said he, "if I do not prove myself a match for the doctor, may my mare refuse the first leap she comes to; may I never again be in at the death." On stating the nature of his complaint to Abernethy, the latter replied, "Sir, the sooner you go back, the better; you have come on a fool's errand. I am no doctor." The fox-hunter, in great surprise, observed, "Perhaps, Sir, I have mistaken the house; and if I have intruded myself into your company I am sorry for it. May I ask, Sir, is your name Abernethy?" "Yes," replied the doctor, "Abernethy is my name." "Abernethy, and no doctor!" said the fox-hunter; " but I have been told you are a joker-though a joke to a man who has come 200 miles is rather too much "Joke or out of place for him to relish it!" no joke," answered Abernethy, "you will find I am no doctor; and the sooner you quit my

house the better," (getting up to ring the bell for the servant.) "Hear me, doctor Abernethy," replied the fox-hunter (pulling out his purse at the same time), "I have not much knowledge it is true, but I trust I have too much sense to put my purse in competition with my constitution; therefore, name your fee, and, be it great or small, I will give it to you. That you are a doctor, and a man of great skill, Fame reports all over the kingdom: your talents have induced me to travel 200 miles expressly for your advice; therefore none of your tricks upon travellers. I will not be disappointed! Advice I come for-and advice I will have!" (running immediately up to the door, locking it, and putting the key into his pocket.) He then held out his wrist to the doctor. You will have advice," echoed the doctor in a rage, "Insolent man! not from me. I again tell you that I am no physician." The fox-hunter, putting himself in a boxing attitude, advanced towards Mr. Abernethy, and, in an offensive manner, exclaimed, "Then, by G-I will make a doctor of you; and if you do not feel my pulse without any more equivocation, I will feel yours, and also administer to you some points of my practice. I will likewise give you an emetic, without the smallest particle of physic in it, that shall make you sick for a month." The doctor, retreating, said, with astonishment, "What are you about? Are you going to strike me?" "Yes," replied the fox-hunter, "I am as cool as a cucumber and nothing shall stop me in my pursuit: dangers I fear not; and to leap over a steeple is a trifling concern to me when the game is in view; therefore, I again repeat, feel my pulse, or else- The doctor immediately laid hold of his arm, and in a sort of whisper, as the players have it, aside-exclaimed-" and a d--d strong pulse it is!" then, in a louder tone," suppose I had not felt your pulse-what then?" Why," replied the foxhunter, with a most determined look attached to the expression, "I would have run you down sooner than I would a fox: and have made you more timid than a hare, before you could have sung out for the assistance of either of the colleges." "The devil you would," said the doctor; nevertheless, I admire your candour; and I am not at all disposed to quarrel with your bluntness; and as you have been so extremely explicit with me, I will render myself as perfectly intelligible to you, and also with as much sincerity. Your pulse tells me that you are a far greater beast than the horse you ride; indeed the animal is the most preferable character of the two by comparison-your horse feels the spur and attends to it; the whip to him is not applied in vain; and he eats, drinks, and takes his rest more like a rational being than his master. While, on the contrary, the man with a mind, or at least who ought to possess something like the exercise of intellect, is all excess-he drinks to excess -he eats to excess-he hunts to excess-he smokes to excess." "Bravo, doctor nay more,

66

my friend," replied the fox-hunter, quite pleased, "only say that my pulse has been abused, but not worn out-that I shall once more be upon the right scent, and that the effects of training will enable me again to enjoy the view halloo !' accompanied by rosy health, and I will be yours, &c., for ever-Ï will do any thing, I will apologise to you"Retract one word that you have uttered," suppressing a smile, answered the doctor, " and I will be dumb! and you will lose that advice you almost fought to obtain: first, buy my book, then let nature be your principal guide in future, and when you are at fault, Mr. Fox-hunter, consult page —, and you will be able to decide upon your own case." "Buy your book?" said the fox-hunter, "aye, that I will; and I should think it cheap, if it cost as much as Rees's Cyclopædia. I will purchase it in a canter, and it shall be as bible-proof to me for the remainder of my life." "Do then, and make your exit without delay-I have lost too much time already," answered the doctor. "I am off like a shot," replied the fox-hunter, "but the first toast I shall propose at the club on my return home, will be Long life to Dr. Abernethy.' "Fox-hunter, farewell!" said the doctor," Remember that your horse is your example-drink only when you are dry— satisfy your hunger when it requires it-and when Nature points it out to you, take rest!" The fox-hunter behaved liberally as to the fee

they shook hands together like men who had a respect for each other-the doctor being perfectly satisfied that his patient belonged to that class of persons who are vulgarly denominated "rum customers;" and the fox-hunter did not quit the house of Mr. Abernethy, without being equally impressed that the doctor was one of those extraordinary men not to be met with amongst 20,000 human beings!— Metropolitan Mag.

LOVE OF BEARS.

It has been observed, with a great deal of truth, that " one man's meat is another man's poison," and the same assertion might be made respecting the difference of taste and attachment. In the recently published Tour, by Captain Frankland, in his visit to the courts of Sweden and Russia, he observes, that "Count Ottermann was more remarkable for his love of bears than of the fine arts. It is related of him, that when he gave a great dinner, he used to cause to be placed behind the chairs of his guests, a bear, which thrusting his shaggy head over the shoulder of the convive, would growl out his supplications for food, and extend his pawless stumps (for he was mutilated to prevent mischief) towards the table. How strange that a man, who ought to have passed his days in the caverns of the Orsine species, should have built and lived in a palace of marble and gold! This is, indeed, barbarous magnifi

cence."

to have a Battle of Brains' between themselves; and the Commissioners accordingly sat as umpires upon the occasion. The above cause excited considerable interest amongst the contending parties, as a question of some considerable importance between the Barbatics of the metropolis and the dealers in horseflesh. The court was crowded to excess by the above description of characters; and numerous bets were laid-such as a gallon of ale to two quarts of heavy whet, and a bottle of rum to a quartern of max; both parties were very sanguine as to the verdict; therefore, it was the 'Barbatic against the Prad;' and, on the other hand, the Hanimal against the Barbatic.'

The case was opened by Mr. Field, the horse shaver; most certainly, not in that superlative style of eloquence, which distinguishes the celebrated orations of Counsellor Phillips, who possesses the extraordinary facility of language to give elegance to a mud cabin, and also to paint the heroine of it in all the glowing charms of a Venus de Medicis ; yet, nevertheless, Mr. Field opened his case in prime twig. He not only lathered his subject well, but shared it from all doubts as clean as a whistle; and also convinced the Commissioners that he had got a head upon his shoulders, and 'summut' inside of it. He, however, apologized for the awkwardness of his situation, and said he would be as brief as possible.' He had been told by one of his customers that 'Brevity was the soul of wit;' therefore, he would come to the point at once, without any more gammon.

His appearance

in the Court of Conscience, Mr. Field admitted, was quite a new feature in his history; it was most true, that he had had, in his little way of business, a great deal more to do with the head than with the heart; he, therefore, was extremely sorry that he could not quote Latin to answer his purpose, in order that he might put his argument in a proper train for the clear comprehension of the Commissioners, whom he was given to understand were learned men, and much above his humble station in life. But he remembered reading somewhere or other, that when "Needs must, the Devil drives." That was his case; indeed, he was very much confined in his circumstances! Time was his principal capital; and the sum of Thirty Shillings much too large to be absent from his empty till. He, therefore, appeared in the extraordinary situ ation of a Barber, to obtain Thirty Shillings for SHAVING A HORSE!

"Shaving a horse!" exclaimed the Commissioners; the court convulsed with laughter.

"Yes, your Worship, 'pon my soul, it's no lie; the defendant, Mr. Wells, who is in court, brought his horse to me to be shaved."

It appeared that the Barbatic (the plaintiff) was a man of first rate abilities as an artiste in his most useful line, not only to give decency to his Majesty's re-formed subjects, but also to give them a clean imposing sort of look in

society; or, in other words, a prepossessing appearance. No man could CUT a head' with more elegance and taste than Mr. Field; indeed, he operated with the scissars with all that sort of ease and freedom, which characterise the hands of an artist in sketching the (human face divine!) With the razor he was equally an adept, and expert to the echo that applauds again; he could remove a beard of a week's growth from the iron cheek of a blacksmith, in a twinkling; in fact, his powers of tidivation were immense; he could lop off the exuberant hairs of a Numscull, like electricity; but for the production of a curl, he was the tippy, the go, the non-such: in truth, Mr. Field was a nonpareil Barbutic; and no doubt can be expressed, that he was the identical man to perform the difficult job in dispute before the Commissioners.

The plaintiff, in continuation, stated, that the horse was shaved with the intention of having a new coat,' upon the animal.' "Now, Gentlemen," said he," that was an excellent, nay better, an original idea, and leaving the taste of the thing altogether, it showed that Mr. Wells had some nous in his head. coat! every body is aware of the great advantages of a new coat in society-the bows, the scrapes, and the polite nods it brings to the wearer. It is like meeting an old friend with a new face!"

A new

Here a friend of the magistrates whispered to one of the commissioners, saying, 'it has been observed by the witty George Colman,

What's expected from a horse, with an Apothecary on his back?

not much, perhaps, but when there is an artist to be found in the world that can effect so desirable a change-to metamorphose a horse with a rugged, ugly, dingy, uncouth appearance; to remove a coat as rough and unsightly as a hedgehog; and, strange to say, to give him a new feature at Tattersall's, the Horse Bazaar, or Jack Morris's establishment, and turn him out as a complete new article to surprise, the gentlemen; to humbug the Jerveys; take in the dealers in horseflesh; and the auctioneer, not up to it,'-why then I do assert the talents of such a barber or any other artist are cheap at any price.

The plaintiff said, the horse had been attempted to be shared by the defendant on the part of the rump, but, from the want of skill in the art, the poor beast was most miserably notched; and, indeed, he was quite a sight. The defendant also got tired after four hours' working, when he threw down the razor and pot of lather with disgust, vexation, and disappointment, and, in his rage, swore it was a worse attempt than washing a blackamoor white. The poor teazed horse was then handed over to the plaintiff to finish the job, "And a precious job it was," said he, razors in my shop were in a state of requisition for ten days, during which time the shaving was going on. It was nothing else

"the