104 bachelor's hall. 



were the doings on these occasions ; songs were 

 sung, racy tales were told, old October ale flowed 

 freely, and the jovial merits and household virtues 

 of Willey were fully up to the mark of the good old 

 times. The Squire usually dined about four o'clock, 

 and his guests occasionally came booted and spurred, 

 ready for the hunt the following day, and rarely 

 left the festive board 'neath the hospitable roof of 

 the Squire until they mounted their coursers in the 

 court-yard. 



Dibdin, from materials gathered on the spot, has, 

 in his own happy manner, drawn representations of 

 these gatherings. His portraits of horses and dogs, 

 and his description of the social habits of the Squire 

 and his friends are faithfully set forth in his song of 

 " Bachelor's Hall : "— 



*' To Bachelor's Hall we good fellows invite 

 To partake of the chase which makes up our delight, 

 We've spirits like fire, and of health such a stock, 

 That our pulse strikes the seconds as true as a clock. 

 Did you see us you'd swear that we mount with a grace, 

 That Diana had duhh'd some new gods of the chase. 

 Hark away ! hark away ! all nature looks gay, 

 And Aurora with smiles ushers in the bright day. 



" Dick Thickset came mounted upon a fine black, 

 A finer fleet gelding ne'er hunter did back ; 



