Dick Christians Lecture. 339 



I had just a lark. Blame me if I didn't ride twenty 

 races in one week at Burleigh Park. What a week it 

 was, to be sure! cricketing, horse-racing, pony- 

 racing, hacks catch-weights all sorts of fun. Lord 

 Milsington was there (him as married the Duke of 

 Ancaster's daughter), and the gentlemen would match 

 us. I was to ride a pony ; so I gets niggling before 

 him at the start, and he called me back, so angry. 

 How the gentlemen did laugh, to be sure ! It was 

 only half a mile : away I jumps, and he never catched 

 me it wouldn't be more than half a length at last. 

 What a deal they made of me ! they carried me into 

 the tent, and gave me three glasses of wine and a fine 

 mounted whip. They had a deal more fun than that 

 with me. When I had beat Lord Milsington, the late 

 Lord Winchilsea made a match with Captain Bligh, 

 for me to ride a donkey and he to run afoot half a 

 mile. Such fun you never saw in your life ! But my 

 word, I beat him at last, and they gave me my first 

 gold guinea. Captain Bligh, he was a first-rate runner 

 and cricketer. 



After this 'ere racing concern, Sir Gilbert Heath- 

 cote sent his huntsman, Abbey, for me to go over to 

 Normanton Park. Stevenson went with me, and 

 Sir Gilbert and his lady (she was very kind to me, 

 bless her !) came out to us. My lady quite laughed. 

 " That little thing for a riding groom !" she said ; 

 " he can't sit on a horse." " Try him, my lady," 

 said Stevenson (you see, he always spoke up for me) ; 

 " give him one saddled and one to lead." Up I gets 

 with the two, and off across the park, and galloped 

 them till Sir Gilbert holloas me to stop. Didn't I 

 take it out of them ! " He'll do," they said ; " he 

 can hold anything." So they gave me six guineas a 

 year, and all my clothes, lots of them, and half a 

 guinea board when they were out. I always rode out 

 with my lady in a blue coat and striped waistcoat. 

 The first race Sir Gilbert ever had a horse in I rode 



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