258 DRIVING. 



Till midnight closes o'er the festive scene, 

 Then who so bold as ride with Angerstein ? l 

 He who aloft can mark with unmoved nerve 

 The wheelers jibbing while the leaders swerve, 

 And sit, all careless, 'mid the wordy war 

 To lose a linen-pin, break a splinter-bar. 



With reference to the above scathing lines, it may be men- 

 tioned that the then Duke of Beaufort, though taking part in 

 some of the processions, was not a member of the club. There 

 were, however, other opinions besides those expressed by Mr. 

 Surtees, for another rhymester is more complimentary : 



In this famed driving club it were endless to trace, 

 All the notable coachmen the ribbons who grace ; 

 Since Waterford, Paget, and Pitt swell the stream, 

 And the eye dwells delighted on every team. 



'Paget' was the late Lord Alfred; and 'Pitt' was subse- 

 quently Earl Rivers. 



The Richmond Driving Club used to meet at Lord Chester- 

 field's house, and drive to dinner to the Castle Hotel, Rich- 

 mond. There poor Charley Sheridan would sing his best 

 songs, one of them being ' John Collin,' beginning : 



My name is John Collin, head-waiter at Limmer's, 

 At the corner of Conduit Street, Hanover Square, 

 Where my chief occupation is filling up brimmers 

 To solace young gentlemen laden with care. 



In spite of the prestige the club gained under its noble presi- 

 dent, the Richmond Driving Club only lasted about six or 

 seven years, and the B.D.C. was once more alone in the 



1 Mr. Angerstein was so rash a coachman that no one would ride with him. 

 On one occasion, when starting home after dinner at the Castle Hotel, Rich- 

 mond, a guest inadvertently climbed on to his (Mr. A.'s) coach-box. Mr. 

 Angerstein was so delighted at getting a passenger that he did not wait to 

 start in procession, but went off at once. This caused his box-seat passenger 

 to turn his head, whereupon, seeing to whose care he had entrusted himself 

 that he was on Angerstein's coach he said nothing, but stood up and jumped 

 straight off the box Into the road. B. 



