CHARLES DAVIS 71 



stress of iambics, and wasted my time in thinkin<^- that 

 Traverser was the sort of horse I should hke to ride hunting 

 on some day, and Mr. Davis's tlie sort of seat I should like 

 to have ! Traverser was bought for Davis by Lord Gran- 

 ville, and was one of his best horses. He made a noise ; but a 

 whistler of Traverser's scope and quality, ridden by an artist 

 of Davis's weight and knowledge of the country, will always 

 beat an average sound horse — at least, that is my experience. 

 How well the artist has put him on the horse ! His length 

 of limb guarantees that smoothness of seat which Don 

 Quixote impressed upon Sancho as being the peculiar attribute 

 of a great gentleman. When some one asked Sir R. Sutton 

 whether a stranger out with his hounds could ride, Sir 

 Eichard said he did not know, adding ' I should think so, for 

 he hangs a good boot.' So did Charles Davis. 



In the most literal sense of the word he was pictur- 

 esque ; and was becomingly aware of it. 'Davis,' a gen- 

 tleman tells me who knew him well, ' was always fond of 

 a grey if he could get one to suit him ; I think he thought 

 himself better looking on one.' George III.'s choice was 

 inspiration. Nature had dedicated him to scarlet and gold, 

 and had given him the right colouring and complexion for 

 scarlet. In the February number of ' Baily's Magazine ' 

 for 1867 a pleasant requiescat in pace article appeared upon 

 Charles Davis. The writer (' The Gentleman in Black ' ') 

 had known the subject of his memoir well for many years, 

 had ridden for several seasons with the Queen's Hounds, and 

 all he says has the value which nearness and the habit of 

 personal intercourse alone can give. This is what he says 

 of Davis's appearance : ' He was very tall and thin, probably 

 6 ft. 1 in. in height, and only weighing nine stone and a 

 pound or two. He was a good-looking man, with a large 

 handsome nose and good dark eyes and eyebrows. The ex- 



' The Eev. C. Claik, of Sunningdale. 



