268 COVERT-SIDE SKETCHES. 



there in lines which certainly can only allude to the wild 



deer : — 



Now Cancer glows with Phoebus' fiery car : 

 The youth rush eager to the sylvan war. 

 Swarm o'er the lawns, the forest walks surround. 

 Rouse the fleet hart, and cheer the opening hound. 



It was later on in the century, and in the reign of George III., 

 before the deer were removed from the forest and confined 

 to the park.^ Then, deer, which were known, and, indeed, 

 had all their names, were roused, hunted, and saved if pos- 

 sible, and, finally, Farmer George came to rely solely on the 

 cart for his pastime. Of course every one has heard of the Ep- 

 ping Hunt on Easter Monday. I chanced to meet with a very 

 humorous description of the scene in the Literary Gazette, 1830, 

 which I shall take the liberty of transcribing for the benefit of 

 my readers, feeling sure that it cannot fail to amuse them : — 



The first time I 'unted I ne'er shall forget, 



'Twas to Hepping I vent, and I got werry vet ; 



The rain rattled down so unkimmonly fast. 



That I thought I should surely be drowned at last. 



My new leather breeches, though not werry thin, 



In less than a jiffey stuck tight to my skin; 



And my beautiful coat, of a beautiful green. 



The most beautiful bottle vot ever was seen. 



In the same little time vos all vet through and through. 



Which griewously wex'd me because it vos new. 



But seeing as 'ow I vos fairly let in 



For a sousing, I made up my mind for to grin ; 



And grin then I did, first at this, then at that — 



At Apperley's coat and his shocking bad hat. 



At Higgins's 'oss, and at Higgins's boots. 



At the warious coats and the divers surtouts. 



But, oh ! 'ow delighted I vos at the start ! 



Ven the stag vos turn'd bout on the 'ill from the cart. 



And the 'ounds foil w'd a'ter — the 'unt was begun. 



And, in spite of the veather, 'tvas capital fun ; 



2 Windsor was disafforested in 1814. 



