204 APPENDIX. 



As making his way to the pack 's not his forte, 

 Sir Lawley,* as usual, lost half of the sport. 

 But then the profess'd philosophical creed, 

 That "all's for the best," — of Master Candide, 

 If not comfort Sir R., reconcile may at least ; 

 For, with this supposition, his sport is the best. 



Orby Hunter, who seem'd to be hunting his fate, 

 Got falls, to the tune of not fewer than eight. 

 Basan's king,t upon Glimpse,:!: sadly out of condition, 

 Pull'd up, to avoid of being tired the suspicion. 

 Og did right so to yield ; for he very soon found. 

 His worst had he done, he'd have scarce glimpsed a hound. 

 Charles Meynell, who lay very well with the hounds, 

 Till of Stretton he nearly arrived at the bounds. 

 Now discover'd that Waggoner § rather would creep. 

 Than exert his great prowess in taking a leap ; 

 But when crossing the turnpike, he read ^f" *' Put on here," 

 'Twas enough to make any one bluster and swear. 

 The Waggoner feeling familiar the road. 

 Was resolved not to quit it ; so stock still he stood. 

 Yet prithee, dear Charles ! why rash vows will you make, 

 Thy leave of old Billesden || to finally take ? 



Since from Legg's Hill,1I for instance, or perhaps Melton Spinney, 

 If they go a good pace, you are beat for a guinea ! 

 'Tis money, they say, makes the mare to go kind ; 

 The proverb has vouch'd for this time out of mind ; 

 But though of this truth you admit the full force, 

 It may not hold so good of every horse. 

 If it did, Ellis Charles need not bustle and hug. 

 By name, not by nature, his favourite Slug.** 

 Yet Slug as he is — the whole of this chase 

 Charles ne'er could have seen, had he gone a snail's pace. 

 Old Gradus,f t whose fretting and fuming at first 

 Disqualify strangely for such a tight burst. 

 Ere to Tilton arrived, ceased to pull and to crave. 

 And though f reshM at Stretton, he stepp'd a pas grave I 



* Sir Robert Lawley, called Sir Lawley in the Melton dialect. 

 t Mr. Oglander, familiarly called Og. X Mr. Oglander's horse. 



} Mr. C. Meynell's hor.se. 



3 He had threatened never to follow the hounds again from Billesden, on 

 account of his weight. 

 % A different part of the hunt. ** Mr. Charles Elhs's horse. 



tt Mr. George Filis's horse. 



