ROAD HORSES. 363 



Wig NELL, an inferior aftor, but ^' Jfcck 

 King,''' of Covent Garden Theatre for many 

 years, tvhofe ftage confequence became fo 

 habitual to him, he could never be diverted 

 of it in the mod: trifling occurrences of 

 common life. At the concluiicn of the 

 winter feafon, when making his itinerant 

 excurfion to join a company in the coun- 

 try for the fummer, he difmounted at an 

 inn upon the road, and ordering prbper 

 proportions of corn and water for the 

 Bucephalus on which he rode^ enjoyed 

 himfelf moft lu:^uri6ufly upon the befl 

 to be produced. When fatiated with good 

 living, he depofited his pecuniary compen- 

 fation, and iallying forth, exclaimed moft 

 theatrically for the '* Ostler /' who 

 appearing, the gueft approached him v>'ith 

 his whip clenclied in his hand (in the 

 fiiannef of a truncheon, like the Ghoft in 

 Harnkt,) ftill confiriiiing to call upon the 

 ^*' Ostler." The oftler recovering from 

 the firft furprife, ventured, after fome trifling 

 hefitation, to anfwer, but with "doubt and 

 'difmay^ " Sir !" ** When vc\y Jieed\i?i'i> put 

 a /fr/>/ to his provender^ produce him.'* 



This 



