130 Ahout Breeches and Boots. 



capped by age, and some of them were stiff. There was 

 some very good play on both sides, especially the bowling, 

 in proof whereof between 300 and 400 balls were bowled for 

 four wides ; and the wicket-keeping was good also, and, 

 seriously speaking, the Surrey and Middlesex counties, 

 whose match was broken off to make way for the " knights 

 of the pigskin " and " the honourable company of horn 

 blowers," might very advantageously have boiTOwed two 

 bowlers from the equestrian elevens. 



Everyone who knows anything about cricket and about 

 the man must be aware that, but for his professional en- 

 gagements elsewhere, R. I'Anson would be a great acquisi- 

 tion to the County of Surrey, being much superior as an all- 

 round man to a large majority of those who play for it now, 

 as he can bat, bowl and field really well, and can keep 

 wicket on a squeeze, and is j)assionately fond of the 

 game. 



Now for a glance at the ring at Lord's. There were five 

 thousand peoj)le at the least, at one time, a large proportion 

 being men of mark of the Nimrod stamp, and women of 

 mark, too, half-sisters to Diana Yernon, in four-in-hands, 

 mail phaetons, carriages, on horseback, (tc, ttc, a great 

 many genuine cricket lovers, and a large sprinkling of those 

 connected with racing and hunting, more of the former 

 than the latter, as naturally racing men of all counties had 

 been attracted to Epsom. The dirty short pipe and 

 <cabbage-leaf cigar were absent, and there were so many 

 ll^dies about that it became necessary, when one wanted a 

 quiet pipe, to get into an out-of-the-way corner. No rough 

 word could be heard anywhere, though there was plenty o£ 

 fun and laughter. In fact, the match consisted of fair 

 cricket, which a great number of people of all classes were 

 watching, with real pleasure, a game between two elevens 

 out for the day, who were playing for the love of the sport 



