The Merry Past 



but one horse, a hawk-nosed, dark chestnut. The 

 whipper had but one nag too ; the whole concern, 

 old Squire and all, looked as if provender of all kinds 

 was not over-plentiful. Anything so slow cannot be 

 conceived. Old Squire St. John had been one who 

 in his day could go ; he was near seventy-five, and 

 scorned the luxury of his brother squire, and stuck 

 to the pig-skin to the last. As soon as the hounds 

 found he used to trill out his best cheer, wave his 

 hat, and shout as loud as he was able, " Ride, ride ! 

 you devils, ride ! I'll jog home to dinner ; damn 

 your eyes, ride — thank God, I've had my day." 



The political views of old squires such as these are 

 best shown by the election address issued by one of 

 the last of them. " Countrymen " (it should be 

 added that a friend suggested gentlemen, but the 

 candidate had retorted, " Damn gentlemen — they 

 are not all gentlemen — say countrymen "),' I'm for 

 the King and Constitution ; I'm for the Church, 

 but not for tithes, unless they go to the landlords ; 

 if I get a seat, I'll keep it as long as I can, so I'm for 

 long Parliaments. I'm for nobody but gentlemen 

 learning to read, but let them work that there may 

 be no poor-rates. I'll vote for corn at iocs, per 

 quarter, and none of your mouldy foreign stuff ; 

 that every squire shall have as many horses and dogs 

 as he likes without paying taxes ; and that every 

 poacher shall be hung or shot. God save the 

 King 1 " 



The four golden rules which one of this class 

 set up in his house and adhered to were : '' Fear God ; 



44 



