selves to be thorough-bred, and that our charioteer will not be found wanting to render the journey, at all times, pleasant, full of interest, and of importance to the traveller.

But, as the Editor has always been, and always will be, fond of "A BIT OF GOOD TRUTH," he does not want the courage to assert, that it is far from his intention to be as prim as a Puritan, or as low and saucy as a donkey boy in his travels; yet, perhaps, a tiny bit of the PAUL-PRY may be seen attached to his efforts, in order to procure information; but nevertheless, he trusts that nothing of "the MARPLOT" will be discovered in his character. To resemble the busy bee, if possible, by "sipping sweets from every flower," but without leaving any of the sting behind him, will be one of the Editor's most decided points in the BOOK OF SPORTS, i. e.

66

Nothing extenuate, or set down aught in malice." In short, " VARIETY is our mottoevery thing by fits and starts-and nothing long, dull, or prosing, to occupy our columns;" indeed, to make it a "BOOK FOR EVERY BODY;" in which, topics will be introduced to interest the DUKE and attract the Commoner, to please the Rich Man and afford amusement and information to the Poor One; but never to give the slightest offence, by "o'erstepping the modesty of NATURE!" A book to be found welcome at all tables-a cheerful fire-side companion; and an interesting fellowtraveller, either in a post-chaise, or a stage coach. Under the Poet's idea, that "the proper study of mankind is man;" and to catch the manners living as they rise:

"One negro say one ting, you take no offence, BLACK and white be one colour a hundred year hence;

And when Massa DEATH kick him into a grave, He no spare negro, buckra, nor massa, nor slave: He dance, and he sing, and a banger thrum, thrum, He foolish to tink what TO-MORROW may come. Lily laugh and be fat, de best ting you can do, Time enough to be SAD when you kickara-boo!" So says the Editor; therefore he wishes that sadness may always be a day's march behind us; and to follow the excellent advice, given gratis by the late Lord Chancellor Erskine, "that a little mirth in this melancholy life is a good thing." Therefore, it is our intention to be merry and wise; and although we do not puff ourselves off as an ATLAS, capable of carrying the world upon our shoulders, neither as strong as a SAMSON, who slew thousands

with the jaw bone of an ass, nor so romantic a chevalier as DON QUIXOTTE, who attacked wind-mills; yet, nevertheless, we mean to Book all the WIT that crosses our path-to note down all the TALENT We meet with in our pursuits through life; and to make use of our eyes towards keeping a good look out upon all occasions, to increase our stores of amusements; that is to say, to be alive to all the movements of the Sporting World; to

Chant the pleasures of sporting, the charms of a race And ne'er be at fault at a mill or the chace.

To be awake at the Theatres, in order to per petuate the doctrine of our immortal Bard "to hold, as it were, the mirror up to Na ture;" and be able to show our passport, i required, at the turnpike-gate of Knowledge as to an acquaintance with society in generalFORTUNE in men has some small difference made, One flaunts in rags, one flutters in brocade; The cobler apron'd, and the parson gown'd, The friar hooded, and the MONARCH Crown'd. "What differ more (you cry), than crown and cowl; I'll tell you, friend, a WISE man and a FOOL! If then, in the recital of our ANECDOTES, W cannot prove ourselves as funny as Ja Reeve, we will endeavour to keep him our eye, as an excellent model to produ mirth and laughter: also, if it is not with: our grasp to tell our STORIES like Liston, keep our readers continually on the bro grin; nevertheless, we will put as comical face upon the subject as our capabilities wi allow us to do; and lastly, though n the least, in the Court of Momus, if we shoul not be able to give that sort of pith an strength of humour by way of illustratio to our TALES, like the much-admired, irresis ible comedian, Charles Mathews, we sha exert ourselves to be as near "" AT HOME," & possible; or, in other words, no exertion shall be wanting on our part (if we canno command it), to deserve success. We nov start for the winning-post, with a sketch c real life :

should pop out, it must only be considered in keeping with the picture.

6

His late Majesty, King George the Fourth when Prince of Wales, could push along,' keep moving, with his four nonesuches,' and give the go-by' to all his nobles like fun; indeed, the Prince was the delight of all the jockies and coachmen in the kingdom; but amongst the grooms, huntsmen, and whippersin, at Brighton, Windsor, Newmarket, &c., he was their idol. His late Majesty had always a taste for driving, and very much attached to the turf. Not very long before he died, he asked one of his grooms, with whom he was conversing on the subject of his racing stud-"Well," said the King, "and what do they say of me at Newmarket?""What do they say of your Majesty,” replied the groom," why they say that you are the nost rarmint of 'em all, and they wish that hey had you back again at Newmarket." The phrase "varmint" was a cant term in the days of the merry monarch Charles II., and was frequently used when speaking of him.

The late high-minded, splendid, Duke of Bedford, who never stood still at trifles, but got over the ground with all the ease of a bowling-green, with a 'turn-out' worthy of one of the highest rank in the peerage, was also considered a first-rate coachman; and likewise the never-to-be-forgotten Squire Mellish in the sporting world-who would not be second to any body, or at any thing-a first-rate charioteer, and nothing else, upon all occasions-with neck or nothing' for his motto-galloping up and down the Brighton hills, with all the playfulness of style and ease of manners, like the best bred gentleman in a ball-room. I think I see him now on a Race Course, surrounded by characters of the first rank in society, communicating life and spirits to the circle; indeed, he was a 'magnificent' fellow on horseback; a complete hero on the box; and an 'out-and-outer' in every other point of view upon the Turf, and all the et ceteras belonging to it; and, "take him for all in all,' I have seen nothing like the late Squire Mellish since that foe to the human race, Death, placed him under it. And last, though not least in the 'Scale of Merit' in the whip line, the present venerable Sir John Lade, bart., the father of the driving school for gentlemen. The ease and elegance displayed by Sir John in handling the reins, was quite a picture to the admirers of good coachmanship his eye was precision itself, and he was distinguished for driving to an inch. Sir John's memorable wager of driving through a gate only wide enough to admit his carriage, almost with the rapidity of light ning, two-and-twenty times in succession, and scarcely allowing himself room to turn round, sets this matter of fact at rest:— such a superiority of command had the once gay, dashing, baronet over his high-bred cattle. This will account, in some degree, for the Brighton road having been conspicuous

for upwards of the last fifty years for first-rate coachmen; indeed commoners, mere whipsters, would not have been able to have kept their seats, but have been voted, by the visitors of this splendid watering place, of no use,' and compelled to retire from the stage.

The late George Simcock, as the term goes now-a-days, was a 'rum one to look at,' but a 'good one' to get over the heavy ground on the Forest as light as he could, by keeping his leaders to their work, and also making the wheelers do their duty; indeed, George was admitted to be a sound, practical coachman, and the lives of his passengers were considered safe under his protection; and a truly facetious fellow into the bargain. He had a tale for every body on the coach, and one or two to spare for his friends in the evening, when he left his coach to blow a cloud,' take his glass, and keep the game alive,' until the hand of the clock pointed out to him it was time to rack up' for the night, and also that coachmen, like other folks who have business to look after, must go to roost. George had a great many merry little dodges' belonging to his characterand was a great favorite both up and down the road. The gentlemen passengers he caused to laugh heartily at his comical jokes; and the fair ones to smile, but not to blush; his wit was always so well wrapped up; George being a family man, and fully aware of the necessity of 'keeping the line.' But it was a perfect treat to hear him get the JOHNY RAWS in a string,' by telling them to have a care of the phantasmagoria sort of sights, which would stare them full in the face at every turn in the metropolis. ghosts are a queer set of chaps,' said George, ' and very likely to make your teeth chatter again, if you only look at them; but, if you touch them, it is all up with you; therefore, I say, be on your guard. Why, you would scarcely believe it, that a friend of mine, a very strong countryman, who had the hardihood to tackle one of those nothing sort of things, as he thought, to his great surprise, during the struggle for victory, every hair of his head became as thick as a broomstick.' The passengers, in general, were laughing from the beginning of their journey to the end of it; and the whole of them felt sorry when George touched his castor, and said, "The coachman !"-" Remember the coach man!” said a gentleman one day, "d-n the fellow! I shall never forget him. I shan't get my jaws right again for some time, they have been so widely extended with laughing during the journey.'

The London

"Why," said George, to a country fellow who expressed his astonishment at Simcock's lingo, "when you have been as long upon the stage as I have, you then, perhaps, may see as many strange sights as I have seen.' "Lord! Measter Simcock," replied the Johny Raw, "What, have you ever been upon the