84 TALES AND TRAITS OF SPORTIXG LIFE. 



Balls, banquets, Giinter, Jiillien down, 

 "With hosts of artistes straight from town ; 

 Donations, plates for hunters' stakes, 

 With plenty more in " ducks and drakes ;" 

 Which will, of course, be paid off, one and all, 

 By " the subscription " — qnerify nominal ? 



Actoeon stood it just three years, 

 And then — o'ercome with costs and cares, 

 And duns and bums, and foxes few, 

 *' Short-answering'" slaves with wages due, 

 And " Fields ' ' that looked uncommon blue — 

 At eve, when o'er a poor day's sport. 

 And o'er as poor a glass of port 

 (For out, alas ! '' the favourite sort "), 

 Owned to himself the soft delusion, 

 And, having come to this conclusion. 

 Laid down his horn with half a curse. 

 Hung up his whip, pulled off his spurs. 

 Then, like a cock, his feathers moulted. 

 Packed up his saddle-bags and— bolted. 



Farther than this the fable goes, 

 And in its version boldly shows. 

 How with a cry so full and grim, 

 The houEds set to and hunted him. 

 Ran him at length from scent to view, 

 And '^ broke him up " with small to do ; 

 Yet, though the Musters* case is clear. 

 The other can't pass muster here. 



* The well known anecdote of Mr. Musters and liis liounds, as see 

 the Noiitia. 



