Dick Christiaiis Lecture. 349 



never galloped his horses at fences — he always drew 

 them up. He had little low-priced horses when he 

 first came into this country, but he rode them as no 

 man ever will again ; they would do anything : 

 get into bottoms, and jump out of them like nothing. 

 My eyes ! he made them handy. Those were dif- 

 ferent days : you might find at Melton Spinney, and 

 run to Billesdon Coplow, and not cross a ploughed 

 field. People will hardly believe me when I tell them : 

 they say, ** Come, none of your nonsense, Dick !" 



I once did a tremendous day's work with a four- 

 year old ; I'll tell you all about it. The Duke 

 of Grafton, he bought a mare from me ; he was 

 uncommon pleased with her, to be sure ; then he 

 wrote me if I had another horse of my own break- 

 ing, to meet him at Northampton. I was well paid 

 for my trouble, but we did not deal. Next morning, 

 *' The Squire" met at Clipston ; I starts at half-past 

 eight. We had two good runs of more than an hour 

 each, and left off at Sibbertoft ; that would be thirty 

 miles from Melton, and I got home that night, both 

 of us as well and as fresh as could be. I sold that 

 horse to Thomas, the London dealer, for 250/. Lord 

 Southampton, he once bought a rare thirteen-hand 

 pony of me for 30 guineas, when I broke his horses at 

 Quorn ; — Dick Burton used to get on him to draw 

 covers. 



The gentlemen used to make a regular fox of me, 

 when they came home from hunting, but I never was 

 ketched. Mr. Gilmourvery nearly did it once, though, 

 but I just jumped the fence into the Melton Turnpike 

 before him. Lord Molyneux, he was precious near 

 having me : it seems like yesterday. Lord Plymouth 

 was uncommonly fond of that game ; he used to say, 

 as they rode home from hunting, *' Better let Christian 

 be a fox for you — he's not had much to do to-day ; it 

 will do my young horse good." I had lots of tumbles 

 when I was a fox, but they gave me good law ; it was 



