1773 FIRST PERIOD 13 



(or Jenison), March, Meynell (the celebrated 'father 

 of fox-hunting '), Naylor, Norris, Offley, Ogilvy, 

 *0ttley, Panton, Parker, Pigott, Pratt, Eead, Scott, 

 *Selwyn, Shafto, Shirley, [Sk[c]rymsher or S[c]krym- 

 shire v. Boothby], Smith, Smith-Barry, Stapleton, 

 Strode, Swinburne, * Swymmer, Varey, Vernon, 

 Warde, Warren, Wastell, Wentworth, Wilbraham. 



The reason for the obelisk and the asterisk in cer- 

 tain cases will be explained hereafter. 



Before we enter upon the little sketches which 

 will be necessary for a proper understanding of what 

 sort of personages they were to whom these titles and 

 names belonged, and of what they did to the advan- 

 tage or disadvantage of the Turf and of horse-breeding, 

 it will be well to say a few words about the moral 

 atmosphere which prevailed in the circle from which 

 the members of the Club would, for the most part, be 

 selected. Hear the sober historian, Mr. J. K. Green, 

 discoursing of the period in which the fall of Sir 

 Eobert Walpole in 1742 may be considered the central 

 event : ' Of the prominent statesmen of the time,' 

 says he, ' the greater part were unbelievers in any 

 form of Christianity, and distinguished for the gross- 

 ness and immorality of their lives. Drunkenness 

 and foul talk were thought no discredit to Walpole. 

 A later prime minister, the Duke of Grafton, was in 

 the habit of appearing with his mistress [the notorious 

 Nancy Parsons] at the play. Purity and fidelity to 

 the marriage vow were sneered out of fashion ; and 



