45 2 THE COACHING AGE. 



off early in the morning, according to the custom of 

 the period, hunt at Streatham or Norwood, and shoot 

 also over the same district. 



In those days most men who hunted, shot, or took 

 much outdoor exercise, were generally good at a bottle 

 of old port. A City man who lived in Bucklersbury, 

 and used to ride with other City men and hunt in 

 the neighbourhood of Thornton Heath and Croydon, 

 formed a sort of club. After the day's hunting was 

 over, the members dined together at a small country 

 inn, where they had laid in a stock of wine for their 

 own use only, the landlord's (if indeed he had any) 

 not being sufficiently choice for men who were in the 

 habit of attending at City dinners. By degrees 

 the club was either broken up, or from some other 

 cause discontinued meeting at the little country 

 inn, and they made the landlord a present of their 

 remaining stock of wine. Some time afterwards 

 a gentleman visiting the inn, and knowing of the 

 arrangements" that used to exist with, regard to 

 the supply of wine, expressed a wish, if the landlord 

 had any left, to have a bottle of the old port, expect- 

 ing to get something very choice. Rather, however, 

 to his astonishment the landlord said, ' Lor'; sir, we 

 have got rid of all that ; we were obliged to make it 

 into negus ; the people wouldn't drink it without.' 

 It evidently did not suit the rustic palate. 



