170 



He saw all the fun up to Stretton's white hall. 

 There they anchor'd — in plight not a little distressing, 

 The horse being raw, he of course got a dressing. 

 That wonderful mare ol Vanneck's, who till now 

 By no chance ever tir'd, (38) was taken in tow : 

 And, what's worse, she gave Van such a devilish jog 

 In the face with her head, plunging out of a bog, 

 That with eye black as ink, or as Edward's fam'd 



Prince, 

 Half blind has he been, and quite deaf ever since. 

 " But let not that mortify thee, Shacaback/' (39) 

 She only was blown, (40) and came home a rare hack. 

 There Craven, too, stopp'd, whose misfortune, not fault, 

 His mare unaccountably vex'd with string-halt ; (41) 

 And when she had ceas'd thus spasmodic to prance. 

 Her mouth 'gan to twitch with St. Yitus's dance. (41) 

 But how shall describ'd be the fate of Eose Price, (42) 

 Whose fav'rite white gelding convey'd him so nice 

 Thro' thick and thro' thin, that he vow'd and protested, (43) 

 No money should part them as long as life lasted ? 



38. Which, if other proof were wanting, ascertains beyond anything 

 else the severity of this chase. 



39. A familiar appellation, borrowed from Blue Beard, and bestowed by 

 his friends at Melton on Mr. Vanneck, than whom nothing can more 

 thoroughly prove the estimation in which his society is held there, since none 

 but good fellows are ever esteemed, according to the Meltonian principles, 

 worthy of a nickname. 



40 Which was his own observation, the merit of which I would scorn to 

 assume, but for the truth of which (at least the latter assertion) I can vouch, as 

 I perfectly agree with him, that I never saw a more complete hack, though 

 he is pleased to call her a hunter. 



41 — 41. Two nervous affections, in every sense of the word very distres- 

 sing, especially to a bystander who cannot command his risible muscles upon 

 so melancholy an occasion. 



42. A gentleman, of whom it has been commonly said,_ that he never 

 returned from hunting but his horse was sure to be either lame or 

 knocked up. 



43. At the cover-side his horse had been particularly admired, and a 

 considerable sum of money offered for him. 



