*' TAKE THE GOOD THE GODS mOVIDE." 135 



to venture on a little ice, and then an olive, taken to 

 prepare him for the Claret. Here we will leave him 

 till we find him revelling in the greater enjoyment of 

 the society of the Ladies in the drawing-room. There 

 conversation, music, charades, tableaux vivans^ and 

 perhaps a quadrille got up at the moment, bring on 

 the tray-supper, only a tray-swpfer^ but constituting 

 every delicacy that can tempt aristocratic appetite. 

 He eats — that is, vulgarly eats — nothing; but, bird- 

 like, pecks a grajn of many things. In short, his 

 abstemiousness amounts in point of fact to the same 

 thing as if he had devoured a couple of good mutton- 

 chops. He now begins to think that with the aid of 

 his valet, he can get to bed. In the morning, break- 

 fast : jocks should not eat breakfasts ; he will only 

 therefore take something light. Chocolate ? No. A 

 cup of Mocha enlivens, and gives energy to the nerves: 

 three or four plover's eggs are light ; so are prawns, 

 a potted lamprey, and a mere forkful of galantine de 

 gibier aux truffes. Fearing his wasting system may 

 not have produced the effect of making him lighter, 

 he determines on a walk after breakfast ; and really 

 takes one as far as the conservatory with the Ladies, 

 visits the gold fish in their marble ocean, and takes a 

 peep at the gold and silver pheasants. It is now time 

 to dress, and on go the gossamer boots , ditto ditto 

 unmentionables and satin jacket : over this such a 

 love of a Chesterfield or Taglioni ! Notwithstanding 

 all this, he is no puppy nor fool, and perhaps rides his 

 race well, and with plenty of nerve (considering the 

 deprivations he has submitted to), and that with a 

 41b. saddle he can ride 12 st. 



I am afraid my ]oQk who has to "ride 7st. 12 lb., has 

 not passed his time quite so pleasantly. While the 



k4 



