Melton : Its Man7iers and Customs. 227 



have ever seen before. Next I observed a copy of a 

 celebrated picture by the same artist, which contains 

 the famous sportsmen of his time, Mr. Holyoake on 

 Cross Bow, the Squire on Ashton, and Sir Harry 

 Goodricke on Dr. Kussell ; an admirable and life-like 

 picture of men and horses ; after which I was shown 

 a collection of rare and beautiful water-colour paintings, 

 and two capital portraits of favourite horses by Mr. 

 Fernely, recently painted for Sir John Lister Kaye. 

 It must not be for a moment imagined that Melton 

 is simply engaged in providing for the creature com- 

 forts of those visiting the town for sporting purposes. 

 Far from it ; can it not boast of a museum ? in which 

 is collected the most extraordinary and whimsical 

 assortment of odds and ends that I have ever met with, 

 comprising everything, from a specimen of that nearly- 

 forgotten weapon known in former times as ^^ Brown 

 Bess,^^ to a case of butterflies, and the wedding gar- 

 ments of some savage tribe, to which the venerable 

 dame who resides in the old Bede House, which con- 

 tains these curiosities, called my special attention. 

 It closely reseuibles those I have read of in some book 

 of travels — being very short before, with nothing 

 behind, and no sides — eminently suited no doubt for 

 a warm country, but not such as our fashionables will 

 readily adopt in this somewhat variable clime. But 

 there is no knowing what the votaries of fashion may 

 do, and stranger things have come to pass than the 

 adoption of the light and airy costume I have called 

 attention to. 



So,much for science and art, without which we are 

 nothing in these days. Then, as to manufactures ? 

 Is not Melton Mowbray celebrated from Indus to the 



15—2 



