206 



,. . ^ " This fellow pecks up wit as pigreons peas, 



,' % And uttei's it again when Jove doth please ; 



^ He is wit's pedler, and retails his wares 



At wakes and wassails, meetings, markets, fairs." 



" Alas ! poor Abe ! I knew him well ; a fellow of infinite jest ! Where 

 be your gibes now ? your gambols ? your songs ? your flashes of merri- 

 ment, that were wont to set the table in a roar ?" 



Who but associates many pleasant hours with M , full of music 



and of fun, relishing a joke and rejoicing in a pun ? and G , for 



many years a faithful steward of the Club, who, if he were to carry out, 

 in his daily walks, all the benevolent impulses of his generous nature — 

 or, in other words, was permitted, like a thorough bred, as he is, from 

 the Old Dominion, with good action to go his own gait^ would, as Kit 

 Cosey says, make all men " co??i/or/a6^e," and keep them, so?" W^ho 



but is " kindly affectioned " towards W. C. H ? Whether viewed on 



the Course, engaged in his official duties as starter of the horses, or 

 furthering the business of the Club by a punctual attendance at all regu- 

 lar meetings, there is a refined propriety about him that marks him 

 destined to fill, at some future day, the highest post of honor in the 

 Club. 



And who that notices all the shades and gradations into which the 

 sporting spirit of the members of the Club has resolved itself from time 

 to time, but duly acknowledges the extent of the Turf lore, and the 



witchery of the fine conversational talent of J A ? See him 



on the Race Course, or at the social board, where the good things of 

 this life are discussed, and it does the heart good to witness his hon~ 

 honwiie, and the spirit with which he partakes of the sport. Who can 

 make a better after-dinner speech ? and who could, when he was at an age 

 to witcdi the world with feats of horsemanship, tool his bits of blood 

 with greater proficiency, baring accidents, which will sometimes happen 

 even to the most skilful ? With the best sporting blood in his veins, 

 from a grandsire of the good old stock, he is so " well up " in the pedi- 

 gree of every high mettled racer — so '■'■ well posted'''' in all Tuvf matters 

 — no one is more frequently appealed to, to decide differences of opinion 

 as to past events on the Turf, the pedigrees, the ages or performances of 

 horses ; and every one fond of racing, who is fortunate enough to have 

 a little '■'■horse talk'''' with him, immediately feels it is good to be in his 

 company, and that he is a man completely to his mind. - 



Who that has ever taken his seat with the amiable C , at the 



same festive board, but immediately thinks he sees the embodied spirit 

 of genuine bonhommie in his goodly person and smiling looks? his 



