^ohn /IDytton lis 



him excessively drunk, and put him to bed with two 

 bull-dogs and the said bear. He also once rode into the 

 dining-room mounted on the bear, in full hunting 

 costume, to the dismay of the guests. The animal 

 carried him very quietly for a certain time, but on being 

 pricked by the spur, she bit her rider through the calf 

 of the leg, inflicting a severe wound. On another 

 occasion Mr Mytton fought a savage yard dog with 

 his fists, and beat it. 



But perhaps the most remarkable instance of his 

 courage and recklessness was the following : — 



He was one day engaged to dine with a friend at 

 some distance from Halston, and came as usual in his 

 tandem. After dinner the conversation turned on the 

 danger of that mode of harnessing horses, from the 

 little command the driver can have over the leader. 

 Mytton at once expressed his dissent from this doctrine, 

 and being under the influence of the ' rosy god,' offered 

 to bet a pony (^25) all round that he would, ^/la^ night, 

 drive his tandem across the country into the turnpike 

 road, a distance of half a mile, having in his progress to 

 get over a sunk fence, three yards wide ; a broad, deep 

 drain, and two stiff quick-set fences, with ditches on the 

 further side ! The bets offered were taken by several of 

 the party present, to the tune of ;^i5o and upwards, and 

 after the necessary preparations, all turned out to see 

 the fun, although In justice it should be said, as Mytton 

 was then under age, it was not only proposed to him 

 that the bets made should be off, but he was most 

 strongly urged not to make the attempt. This, however, 

 with him had always a contrary effect ; and, twelve men 

 with lanthorns on poles having been procured to aid the 



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