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Teigh, was open to him, and he showed that he had the courage to face it. Leaving Teigh on the right, Woolwell-head was his point, and in two more fields he would have reached it. Thus we found him in the Quorn country; ran him over the finest part of Lord Lonsdale's and killed him on the borders of the Belvoir. But we have left Snob in the lane, who, after casting a longing eye towards his more fortunate companions, who were still keeping well in with the hounds,-throws the rein over the neck of the good little bay horse, and, walking by his side, that he may recover his wind, enquires his way to Melton. Having no one to converse with, he thus soliloquizes as he goes:- What a dolt have I been, to spend five hundred a year on my stable, in any country but this! But stop a little how is it that I, weighing but eleven stone four pounds with my saddle, and upon my best horse, an acknowledged good one in my own country, could neither go so fast nor so long as that heavy fellow Maxse; that still heavier, Lord Alvanley; and that monster Tom Edge, who, they tell me, weighs eighteen stone, at least, in the scales.' At this moment, a bridle-gate opens into the lane, and a gentleman in scarlet appears, with his countenance pale and wan, and expressive of severe pain. It is he who had been dug out of the ditch in which Jack Stevens had left him, his horse having fallen upon him, after being suspended on the rail, and broken three of his ribs. Feeling extremely unwell, he is glad to meet with Snob, who is going his road, to Melton,-and who offers him all the assistance in his power. Snob also repeats to him his soliloquy, at least the sum and substance of it, on which the gentleman,-recovering a little from his faintness by the help of a glass of brandy and water at the village, -thus makes his comment :-"I think, Sir, you are a stranger in this part of the world,' 6 Certainly,' replied Snob, it is my first appearance in Leicestershire.' 'I observed you in the run,' continued the wounded sportsman, and very well you went up to the time I fell, but particularly so to the first check. You then rode to a leader, and made an excellent choice; but after that period, I saw you taking a line of your own, and anticipated the fate you have met with. If you remain with us long, you will be sure to find out that riding to hounds in Leicestershire is different from what it is in most other countries in England, and requires a little apprenticeship. There is much choice of ground: and if this choice be not judiciously made, and coupled with a cautious observance of pace, a horse is beaten in a very short time. If you doubt my creed look to the events of this memorable day.' Snob thanks him for his hints, and notes them in his book of memory.

The fame of Snob and his little bay horse reaches Melton before he walks in himself. 'That provincial fellow did not go amiss to day,' says one. 'Who was that rural-looking

man on a neatish bay horse-all but his tailwho was so well with us at the first check?' asks another, who himself could not get to the end, although he went a good one' threeparts of the way. There is no one present to answer these questions; but the next day, and the next, Snob is in the field again, and again in a good place. Further inquiries are made, and satisfactory information obtained. On the fourth day, a nod from one-a 'how do you?' from another-' a fine morning,' from third-are tokens good-humouredly bestowed upon him by some of the leading men, and on the fifth day, after a capital half-hour, in which he had again distinguished himself, a noble bon-vivant thus addresses him,'Perhaps, sir, you would like to dine with me to-day; I shall be happy to see you at seven.'

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'Covers,' he writes next day to some friend in his remote western province, 'were laid for eight, the favourite number of our late King; and perhaps his Majesty never sat down to a better-dressed dinner in his life. To my surprise, the subject of fox-hunting was named but once during the evening, and that was when an order was given that a servant might be sent to inquire after a gentleman who had had a bad fall that morning over some timber; and to ask, by the way, if Dick Christian came alive out of a ditch, in which he had been left with a clever young thorough-bred on the top of him.' The writer proceeds to describe an evening, in which wit and music were more thought of than wineand presenting, in all respects, a perfect contrast to the old notions of a fox-hunting society."

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MELTON MOWBRAY has become so distinguished a feature in the Annals of Hunting, together with its Noble and wealthy supporters, that we trust the humble attempt to analyse a MELTONIAN may prove rather interesting to the readers of the BOOK OF SPORTS; we have therefore, tried our hand at an Outline' of one of those Great Creatures'-called the Lions and Tigers in the Corinthian Circles of Sporting, with a hope that we may be something near the mark as to a 'Likeness; and also trust, that we may not be distanced altogether in producing-a PORTRAIT.

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The slightest view of a Meltonian proclaims him a gentleman, he is likewise, decidedly, a Man," in three points of view-namely, of the world-taste-and game. The intercourse of a Meltonian with the upper classes of society gives him all the advantages of the suaviter in modo, and fortiter in re. His horses, his dogs, his vehicles, and in a majority of instances, HIMSELF, must pronounce him, in the above points of view, a MAN of the World, united with a person of taste-his neck-or-nothing qualities--turf or turnpikewhether in steeple chase so dangerous--or, he takes the leap so wide

O'er hedge and ditch away he flew

Nor left the game till he had run it down!

Thus gives the MELTONIAN all the high qualities of game, without the fear of contradiction.

The "breeding" of a Meltonian-aye, the BREEDING, must be viewed as "thorough!" In most cases, for instance, his SIRE, excellent; and for his DAM, all that could be wished --for the possession of superlative beauty and delightful points-which being so, you might go on to the end of the chapter of qualifications, without any blot operating to the prejudice of his great, great, great, grand dams! Yes! his pedigree-but what more can be required or urged? In fact, a true Meltonian is all PEDIGree.

The MELTONIAN is a Swell from his cradle ; or, as some persons have it, he is born with a golden spoon in his mouth; and he is also put on the "Free List" the moment he opens his eyes in the great theatre of the World. Happy mortal! He can scarcely lisp before his ears are soothed with his forthcoming title, the Young Squire!" by his superior nurse, who tells him to open his "pinky winkeys," as he is going to his mamsy, pamsy! perhaps, he is called the darling juvenile baronet; saluted as "My Lord," in leading strings ; bowed to as "the Earl" in his go-cart; honored, with the appellation of "Marquis," on his rocking horse; or, reverenced as 66 My Lord Duke," with his battledore and shuttlecock! He is in training from the first moment of his existence to become 66 Somebody" in this delightful world of competition. Surrounded by governesses-heaps of tutors-hosts of masters-and mobs of professionals-to instruct him how to look the gentleman—to walk like a superior being to talk like a person of consequence-and to act and think* like a man of nous, destined at some future period of his life "to do the state some service;" until he is able to "toddle," or, in other words, that the "Young Swell may be trusted alone!" That is to say, when hisleading strings' are cut; the 'go cart' banished; the rocking-horse, at a stand still; and the 'battledore and shuttlecock,' put on the shelf for ever. When, perhaps, the governess may have been totally forgotten; the tutors lost their authority; the masters done with; and the Crisis arrived, when the curtain of real life is drawn up, and presents to his astonished mind, that wonderful conglomeration, termed SOCIETY-what he has heard of in private, and only seen in perspective; but as he draws nearer to it, mixes with the conglomeration, and becomes one of the world. Then what then? Why then it is that the balancing poles are required to be put into his hands to keep him steady in his early walks through life, more especially, until he has accurately ascertained the different value of those paths-the Right and the Left! But

"To act well;" we have not the slightest doubt, that numerous tutors are to be met with in society who can manage that branch of tuition to a nicety: but as to teach the novice to "think well," we must confess, we are rather inclined to be "sceptical."

if dame NATURB has acted her part by him only half in comparison with the smiles which FORTUNE blessed his first introduction into the world, united with all the advantages resulting from high birth; the incalculable good arising to his mind from tuition; and his walks, as it might be urged chalked' out for him! What is there to prevent the High Ton MELTONIAN from becoming an OUT-ANDOUTER in the eyes of the Million! in perfect accordance with the serious old adage"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart therefrom."

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His horses are bang-up to the mark; nay more, pictures - studies for HERRING indeed, the perfection of horse-flesh; his dogs will bear the cross-examination of an Old Bailey barrister; and not be found wanting in truth. The upper tog,' 'benjamin,' or, great coat (we leave our readers to adopt which phrase they like best) is a sporting article of the first quality in the fashionable throng-its very look, speaks for itself, nay, volumes for its happy wearer! But the inexpressibles of a Meltonian, are the most expressive things in the world; besides, the advantages added to them of being "wellbreeched ! ! ! †

The hat, yes, the HAT (an immense weight is attached to this article of dress, although it is one of the lightest things in the world belonging to a Meltonian, independent of its shape), the term peculiar may belong to it; and notwithstanding it posseses rather a touch of the knowing, yet it is always clinging to the appearance of the gentleman; and it is, positively, a thing of taste. [By the bye, as I once heard Perring observe, on viewing one of his light inventions' on the head of a Corinthian, who was well known for his critical costume, a hat-box sort of character on the pave for nicety-so big was the fashionable hat-maker with the impression his hat appeared to have made on the taste of the public, that he burst out-"I made it-and that accounts for it!"]

But

The SADDLE of a Meltonian exhibits, at the first glance, a touch of the 'elegant ; and his WHIP to correspond; both articles of first-rate workmanship; but, viewed in the character of a rider, the gentlemanly ease, and the firmness which he maintains on his seat, reminds you of Ducrow; and bespeaks the Meltonian a horseman of superior qualifications. for his BOOTS, whether of O'Shaugnessy's cut -Hoby's stamp-or the make of Stunt-are the style; the whole style; and nothing else but the style; but the greatest difficulty belonging to them, nay, almost insurmountableit might be asked who will attempt to take leaps in them, except a Meltonian? latter spirited piece of humanity is the complete huntsman in the field, entering into all the life of the animated scene by which he is

The celebrated horse painter at Doncaster.

The

+ A cant phrase for persons who possess all the com forts of life-i. e. who have lots of money.

surrounded. "Yoics.! Tally ho! Tally ho!"

Hark, forwards! on the execution of the Men: what a tremendous blow; such a one would have floored the Monument, and have made St. Paul's cathedral shake again! A decided smasher! The coup de grâce! It would have made an Emperor of Gluttons cry out "Hold! enough!"

On his return from the chase he changes his dress like an actor, and enters into the pleasure of conversation respecting the movements of another world, with an equal active spirit and enquiry; and when called upon to circulate the toast, the Meltonian proves himself a complete bon vivant-and if he does not sing with all the fine taste and melody of expression for which the author of the following verse is so much distinguished, perhaps he may throw as much warmth of feeling into the composition :

O nothing in life can sadden us,

While we have wine and good humour in store, That and a little of love to madden us,

Say where's the fool that can labour for more.
Come, then, bid Ganymede fill every bowl for you,
Fill up a brimmer and drink as I call;

I am going to toast every nymph of my soul to you,
Aye by my soul, I'm in love with them all,
Dear creatures we can't do without them,

They're all that is sweet and seducing to man;
Coaxing, sighing, about and about 'em,

We doat on them, die for them, all that we can. In its proper season, time, and place, when his Aye is required, and, perhaps, his No is wanting, in his character as one of the Pillars of the State,' he obeys the calls of his country with alacrity; but habit may so much prevail with him, that when he is listening to theGreat Creature of the House,' he may whisper to his friend-" 7 to 4, I'll back the New Broom for brains, sound argument, brilliant oratory, and distancing qualities, against any thing alive in this country!" The Meltonian is also at home at the Opera—“ Bravo, Taglioni!" says he, in raptures, "only look at her! She steps out like a race-horse! Nothing can be more beautiful than her movements. Her action beggars every thing I ever saw; and I'll bet 10 to 1 she leaves all her competitors a mile behind her." At the Theatres the Meltonian is equally conspicuoushe laughs as heartily as a Commoner; he cannot help himself! The old adage here loses its hold in society-it is not correct that "the loud laugh betrays the vacant mind." The genteel smile cannot be adhered to. Etiquette is broken down! and the simper completely lost sight of. For why? The Momus of the stage is before his eyes! Matthews is chanting the Humours of a Country Fair! Liston, perhaps, is giving an account of his call, in Mawworm; and the irresistible Jack Reeve "threatening to take himself up to preserve the peace," in the Beadle of the Parish, Marmaduke Magog,

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The Meltonian, it should seem, is more home" than abroad at the Fives Court; nay, he is hand and glove with the setts-to of the professors of Boxing, and exclaims, in a delighted tone, on witnessing the sparring of "Young Sam"-" beautiful! scientific as an Angelo! and a palpable hit!" acknowledged with all the gentlemanly demeanour of Laertes to Hamlet. But at a Mill!" the Meltonian is selected as a Judge-his soul and body's

If EXERCISE be the food for health; and if it also lays the foundation for the accomplishment of great sporting feats, by giving stamina to the frame, increasing pluck to the mind, and likewise bracing up the constitution to endure excessive fatigue; let us, without any thing like an invidious distinction, select GEORGE OSBALDESTON, Esq., as a complete hero in the Sporting World. His successes have been so very numerous in all the various matches in which he has been engaged-besides, he undertakes every thing with so much zeal and ardour, at the same time never doubting his own judgment, but, on the contrary, always backing his opinion; therefore, to sum up his character in little, he is entitled to the appellation of a Nonpariel—a Phenomenon-and a Paragon of excellence ;-either of the above phrases will apply to GEORGE OsBALDESTON, Esq., but our readers will appreciate them as they may think proper: however, we must pronounce him not only a first-rate sportsman, but at the top of the tree amongst Sporting Characters, and an OUT-AND-OUT MELTONIAN. We also hope the following original Sporting Song may meet with the approbation of our numerous readers :—

Hark! the horn gives the signal to rise,
To huntsmen enchanting-the sound!
'Tis dear as the girl that we prize,

Where virtue and beauty are found:
It invites to the chase! then away!

Mount your steeds and be after the game,
Where pleasure and health crown the day,
Which to sportsmen is better than fame!
Let's away to the field,

Which such true charms doth yield,
Hark forwards! see Towler and Fan:
'Tis the joys of the chase,
Sweet exercise, embrace,

An out-and-out-MELTONIAN!
The chase being o'er, home we repair
To our wives, or some fav'rite lass,
Quite Jolly! Adieu to dull care,

With songs o'er the bottle and glass!
With friendship and love-time steals away,
Not embitter'd by envy nor strife,

But with pleasure hail, the next coming day-
What can equal a COUNTRY LIFE.

Then to hunt and to sing,
And to make the woods ring,
For we all know LIFE's but a span-
To enjoy well our time,

With fine hounds and prads-prime!
An out and-out-MELTONIAN.

Away! o'er the field and the flood,
Behold Reynard's gasping for breath;
Meltonians-challenge with "blood!"
First! first to be in at the death!
O'er hedges and ditches they rush!
The sight is most glorious to view-
To obtain a bit' of his brush,
And to hear 'sly Reynard's'-adieu !
There's no music so sweet,
To Meltonians a treat,
The delights of hunting to scan,
To whoop and to hollo,
The fox-chase to follow,
An out-and-out-MELTONIAN.

Printed for Thomas Tegg, Cheapside, by John Haddon, Castle Street, Finsbury.

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THE GAME OF RACKETS:

One of the most healthful Exercises connected with BRITISH SPORTS; and the principal Amusement for confined debtors in the FLEET and KING'S BENCH Prisons:

Disguise thyself as thou wilt, still, SLAVERY, thou art a bitter draught; and, though thousands, in all ages, have been made to drink of thee, thou art no less bitter on that account! But it is thou, LIBERTY, thrice sweet and gracious goddess, whom all in public or in private worship, whose taste is grateful and ever will be so-till NATURE herself shall change: no tint of words can spot thy snowy mantle, nor chemic power turn thy sceptre into iron: with thee to smile upon him as he eats his crust, the Swain is more happy than his Monarch!

BRAVO, STERNE! We revere thy memory for the above beautiful sentence, which must ever be viewed as a kind of Legacy left to Posterity, never to lose sight of the advantages and happiness attendant on Liberty. But to the

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point-the GAME OF RACKETS is a truly pleasing Sport; not only for the spirit and amusement which it affords to the mind, but the good results which the constitution derives from such active exercise; there is no game,

perhaps, not even cricket itself, which combines so well skill with so much bustle, that even an indolent man must be alive to all the movements of the game, while the bat is in his hand. The racket player is always on the move; standing still is entirely out of the question; and two or three games at rackets are calculated to do more good towards the restoration of health, and keep the frame clear from the effects of gout and rheumatism, than the whole contents of Apothecary's Hall. In an enclosed court it may be played all the year round; while in an open court it can only be played in the summer.

It is now eight or ten years since old oneeyed Powell's establishment (so designated from having lost one of his eyes by a ball, while playing a game at rackets), was broken up by his Court being broken down. All who have any acquaintance with rackets recollect him, in his day, a first-rate player, and, after his day, competent to cool the consequence of many who fancied themselves good performers.

The game of rackets is not like tennis, which is played by dropping a ball over a central net, on each side of which the players stand; but, at rackets, the ball is struck against what is called a head-wall, and returned at the bound to the same wall, each player endeavouring so to strike it against the wall that his adversary may not be able to return it; he who does not return it, either loses a point (or, as it is technically termed, an ace") or has his "hand out," that is to say, forfeits the situation in which he would be able to add to his score of the game. People, in general, are not aware of the skill required to play the game well, and the fact is, the better it is played the more easy it appears.

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There are several open Racket Courts, independent of the King's Bench and the Fleet Prisons, where gentlemen seldom go voluntarily for the sake of playing, although they take it now and then upon compulsion." There is a good open Court at the Belvidere, Pentonville; another at the Eagle Tavern, in the City Road; and the proprietor of White Conduit House a third; but the fault of these places is, that the company is not sufficiently select, and that a gentleman who is fond of the game (and all are fond of it who can play at all) are there compelled to join a miscellany of very respectable persons no doubt, but not of the highest grade in society. As it is, the ardour of some individuals of rank and education in pursuit of the game induces them to overlook the inconvenience to which we have alluded, and we must do the proprietors of the Courts we have named the justice to say, that they contrive to keep persons of really questionable character and appearance at a distance.

Independent of "the old school," there are many first-rate players at present in the height of their performances. There can be no

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objection to naming and describing the qualifications of a few of the professors, who, generally speaking, have other and very reputable employment besides being racket players. There is no question that Pittman is the best player in England-we do not mean Thomas Pittman, who some years ago held this envied station, but his younger brother John, who is most accomplished at all points-the volley, that is, returning a ball before it touches the ground; the cut, a sharp hit which strikes the ball so low against the wall, and so swiftly, that on its return, there is little or no hop to enable the adversary to strike it; and the twisting drop, given gently and quietly from the racket, in consequence of which, the ball, after it reaches the head-wall, falls dead at once, and a return is almost impossible. In these respects, and more, John Pittman is perhaps the most perfect player that ever existed, and probably better than his brother Tom, in his best day.

We know that Tom has some old friends, who will deny this position, but our opinion is formed after seeing both perform, the one ten years, and the other a short time, since. Tom Pittman is still capital, and superior to John in cramp matches, where he plays under certain disadvantages, in order to make the contest with an inferior player more equal. With his back-hand he can beat nearly all the amateurs, and there are few that can compete with him when his hands are tied together at the wrist, and he is consequently obliged to hold the racket with both; he has beaten tolerable players in this way, and with the addition of a couple of flat irons fastened to his ankles on the inside. If we mistake not, it was he who, some years ago, played with a rolling pin instead of a racket, and won his match. Matthew Pittman may also be reckoned a good player, but he is not to be named in the same century with his two brothers. John Pittman's principal rival is a person called "Tawney Sam," a small but active little man, who hits with the greatest nicety and precision, and who last year carried away the prize-racket from some excellent competitors, among them a person named Morris, who in some points of the game is superior to Sam, but who is by no means so certain.

Morris has a fine free hit, perhaps the severest in England, and is a fine partner in a four match. His play, and that of “Tawney Sam," are in some respects contrasted, for Sam is all delicacy and finesse, and Morris all force and vigour. Morris has a one-eyed friend, whose name we do not know, who is celebrated for playing under his leg, and who in this manner, will contend against any man in England, although, in other points, he is inferior to several. Sowden has been a player quite from his childhood, and, on the whole, is perhaps only inferior to one or two, while, in some particulars, he exceeds them; he would unquestionably be first-rate, and on

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