GEORGE IV. 123 



every now and then indulged in a bet, just to keep 

 up a wholesome excitement, and be in the fashion. 

 He was, in fact, a mere kid-glove sportsman, and kept 

 a few hunters at the Peacock, near Belvoir, and sub- 

 sequently at Grantham ; but his stud-groom, Fryatt, 

 had the lion's share of the riding, and if he did cross 

 a few fields, it was only to get to a good farm-house, 

 where he could indulge his inordinate appetite for 

 bread and cheese. His pleasantries were the salt of 

 the Cheveley battues, but he is not remembered 

 to have shot much more than a brace of tame 

 pigeons, right and left, on a house-top, as the spoils of 

 the morning were being counted over. Those were the 

 days when he could really play the magnifico, and 



" Threaten at times, in a superfine passion, 



To cut Wales, and bring the old King into fashion ;" 



or think that a creditor had ample " value received " 

 for a 500 loan, because he had hailed him with, 

 " How do you do, Jemmy ?" from the door-step of 

 the crack club in St. James'-street. Byron's return 

 of the great race of European celebrities, when he 

 was at his very zenith, was Brummell (1), Napoleon 

 (2), self (3) : and the winner was the survivor of the 

 only three that were placed, dipping, thanks to the 

 kindness of a few old friends who never deserted 

 him, his biscuit de Rheims in maraschino to the last ; 

 and writing, from his Calais lodgings, to Lord Sefton, 

 to say that he was " grinning through the bars of a 

 prison, and eating bran bread; think of that, my 

 Lord bran bread \" 



The Duke of York was almost as much attached 

 to Newmarket as his royal brother, and trained with. 

 Butler for a time at the Palace Stables, till William 

 Edwards brought the stud of " Fee ! Fi ! Faw! Fum !" 

 (as the Heath wags termed the King), thither from 

 Ascot. In personal appearance and manners he was 

 a true Guelph, and seen to greatest perfection at 



