COACHING DAYS AND WAYS 



Horace declares the Greeks of old 



Were once a driving nation ; 



But Shakespeare says 'The World's a stage '- 



A cutish observation. 



The stage he meant, good easy man, 



Was drawn by nine old Muses ; 



But the Mews for me is the B.D.G., 



And that's the stage I chooses. 



I call this age the Iron Age 



Of railways and pretension. 



And coaching now is in a stage 



Of horrible declension, 



The day's gone by when on the fly 



We roU'd to Alma Mater, 



And jovial took the reins in hand 



Of the Times or Regulator. 



Those were the days when Peyton's grays 



To Bedfont led the way. Sir, 



And Villebois followed with his bays 



In beautiful array. Sir. 



Then Spicer, too, came next in view 



To join the gay procession. 



Oh ! the dust we made— the cavalcade 



Was neat beyond expression. 



No turnpike saw a fancy team 

 More neat than Dolphin sported, 

 When o'er the stones with Charley Jones, 

 To Bedfont they resorted. 



56 



