George IV. 113 



The Bow-street officers, Townsend and Sayres, who 

 were especially attached to royalty, kept their Argus- 

 eyes open, and the former sported a hat exactly 

 similar to the celebrated one which his royal master 

 mvariably wore. Its brim was not very broad, but 

 the rim of it was very large, and the band in propor- 

 tion. Townsend pushed the resemblance to the far- 

 thest point, and therefore wore it a little on one side ; 

 but his worth was so great, that this curious bit of 

 affectation was overlooked. He died very rich, at the 

 age of 73, during the fatal cholera season of 1832, 

 leaving the Court Circular, which was established at 

 his suggestion, "to prevent the public inventing 

 falsehoods, by giving them something real to talk 

 about," as a monument for all time to his memory. 

 The wags would have it that he bought his hats at a 

 high price, and second-hand, from Jack Ratford, under 

 the same idea of inspiration which incited Captain 

 Barclay to secure the fighting-leathers of the lion- 

 hearted Jackson. This modern Eryx also stood very 

 high in the favour of the King, who was an ardent 

 believer in English beef, bottom, and boxing, and he 

 confided to him the selection of the twelve pugilists 

 who kept the Abbey doors at his coronation. " Prince 

 Lascelles" had also in earlier times carried his imita- 

 tion to such a height, that Fox, Sheridan, and Wynd- 

 ham, all members of Brookes's (the club which the 

 Prince especially delighted in), prevailed on the latter 

 to hide his queue in the collar of his coat, when he met 

 him ; and the result was, that he immediately rushed 

 home and had his own cut off. 



Once fairly on the turf again, the King entered 

 into it with as great interest as ever. Sam Chifney 

 rode for him at intervals, but had not a regular en- 

 gagement, as Robinson, Dockeray, Nelson, and Pavis 

 enjoyed during the time. Robinson, on his beautiful 

 mare Maria, was, in his eyes, a perfect picture ; 

 and they looked as well together as Nat on Lady 



I 



