THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 313 



There was another club formed at this time, of which it 

 may be imagined our hero was anxious to become a 

 member, and the character he had acquired in society at 

 once secured him his election ; for, as Johnson said to 

 Burke, who recommended a candidate for the Literary 

 Club as a man of gentle manners " no more need be said." 

 The one now alluded to was generally called either the 

 " Whip Club," or the " Four-in-hand Club," but its real 

 title was the " Four-horse Club." Their first meeting 

 was held in April 1808 ; and they assembled, afterwards, 

 every first and third Thursday in May, and the same 

 in June, at the house of their president, in Cavendish 

 Square, whence they drove in procession to Salt Hill, on 

 the Bath road, where they dined, alternately, at the two 

 capital inns for which that delightful village has been so 

 celebrated one of them, indeed, especially so, as having 

 been the scene of the destruction of thirteen persons in 

 one day, from eating mock turtle soup, which had been 

 left to stand a night in a copper vessel not properly 

 tinned. Two guineas a head was the price of these 

 dinners, and the utmost good fellowship prevailed at 

 them. Neither were themselves only considered ; their 

 charities to coachmen and guards in distress were largely 

 dispensed, and they were the chief means of establishing 

 the " Benevolent Club," which, to this day, is the refuge 

 of such of that class of persons as are unable to get their 

 living in their calling that is to say, such as had the 

 foresight to enrol their names on its books. In fact, 

 there was nothing that could be cavilled at in the 

 proceedings of this club, unless it might be the somewhat 

 unnecessary parade of the procession, which generally 

 contained at least a dozen teams, each bond fide member 

 having an honorary member on his box. Not much, 

 however, could be said against this ; it afforded a splendid 

 spectacle on a fine June morning, each member vicing 

 with his neighbour in the elegance and propriety of his 

 turn-out ; and it may in truth be said, that neither before 

 nor since has its equal been seen in any country in the 

 world, for the excellent workmanship of the carriages and 

 harness, and the superior class of horses that were attached 

 to them. 



As may be supposed, all eyes at least all those of the 

 members of the Four-horse Club were upon Frank Raby 

 and his team, aa he entered the square on the first 



