Obrazy na stronie
PDF
ePub

have been so fond of the monkish austerities, as to have their heads shaved. This I do not aver of my own knowledge; but, if it is so, they still condescend to wear artificial locks; though it would be not at all strange, if they also should soon be laid aside, as they are already prepared for it by leaving off their caps. I shall only desire you still farther to reflect, how fashionable it is for the ladies to shine with borrowed faces; and then I believe you will readily allow, that their votaries, the men, are in great danger also of being seduced to popery; since do they not already, by the compliments they pay to a painted face, address an image and adore a picture?

What has now been said will induce you, I hope, to pay a proper regard to the following Resolutions, which, I humbly move, may be agreed to by this Committee, and represented to the house.

Resolved,

That it is the opinion of this committee, that in order to prevent the growth of Popery, no garments shall for the future be imported, of popish make, or distinguished by popish names.

Resolved,

That in order to inforce a due obedience, every one shall be obliged to practise the austerities of the sect they imitate; so that, for example, the Cardinals shall be compelled to lead a single life, and the Capuchins to go bare-foot.

Lastly,

It is recommended that, as a farther sanction to the bill proposed, every offender, who shall be deemed incorrigible, shall be banished from all routs, and transported to her country seat for seven winters.

This motion was strongly seconded by lady Mend'em, who urged in it's support, that to her certain knowledge many of the sex very frequently assembled

at one another's houses, and particularly on the Sab bath, where mass books were actually laid before them, and the warmest adoration paid to some Pictures or painted Images, which, she was told, resembled some Kings and Queens that had been long canonized: and the offerings, that were constantly made at their shrines, would (she said) be found, on a moderate computation, to exceed those that were formerly made at the tomb of Thomas à Becket. She added, that after the catholick custom they always fasted on those nights, or, if they supt at all, it was only on Fish.

The chief speaker on the other side of the question was lady Smart, one of the representatives for Grosvenor-square, who by the way was strongly suspected of being a prejudiced person, her enemies not denying that she had charms, which could almost sanctify error itself. Nobody, she said, could suspect the sex of inclining to popery, who observed the aversion they all discovered to a single life. The uses of the obnoxious garments were allowed to be many; the names at least were innocent; and the cry against them, she was sure, could only be raised by the old and the ugly; since nothing could be so fantastick, as not to become a pretty woman.

Her ladyship was joined by the beauties present; but they being few, their objections were over-ruled, and the motion was carried. The next day the house, on receiving the report, after some debate agreed to the resolutions, and a bill was ordered to be prepared and brought in accordingly. Though at the same time they were of opinion, nem. con. that, if the Figleaf Bill took place, these restrictions would be quite needless.

VOL. XXXI.

N° 63. THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 1755.

IF

Et nati natorum, et qui nascentur ab illis.

VIRG.

From a long line of grandams draws his blood,
And counts his great great grand sires from the flood.

SIR,

TO MR. TOWN.

Cambridge, April 4.

you are a true sportsman, and have the honour of the turf at heart, you must have observed with the utmost concern a late account in the news-papers, that White-nose died at Doncaster of a mortification in his foot." An article of this nature, and at such a time, must strike a damp on all gentlemen breeders; and for my part I cannot help looking on the present races at Newmarket, as funeral games in honour of the memory of White-nose. The death of a stallion of such consequence is a public calamity to all knowing ones in the kingdom: nor does such an accident bring with it the least consolation; especially since it is not the fashion to pit the lives of horses, as well as men, against each other.

Italian grey-hounds, Dutch lap-dogs, monkeys, and maccaws, have been honoured with monuments and epitaphs but a race-horse as much surpasses these insignificant animals, as White-nose was superior to a pack-horse; and I cannot but think, that an obelisk (with a proper inscription drawn up by Messieurs Heber and Pond) should be erected near Devil's-Ditch or Choak-Jade on Newmarket Heath, in honour to his

memory. With what astonishment might we then read of his powerful deep rate, by which all the horses that ran against him were no where? With what rapture should we then recount his rapid victories in the field, (more surprising than those of the duke of Marlborough) by which he won Tewksbury, won Chipping-Norton, won Lincoln, won York, &c? But, above all, we should admire the noble blood which flowed in his veins, and with reverence contemplate the illustrious names of his great, great, great, great, grandsires and grandams. There is not the least flaw in the blood of White-nose's family and his epitaph might conclude, in imitation of that famous one on the duke of Newcastle's monument, "that all the Sons were remarkable stallions, and all the Daughters excellent breeders,"

:

The pedigrees of our race-horses have been always preserved with as much care and exactness, as the Tree of Descent among the family of a Spanish gran. dee or Polish nobleman: nor does the Welshman derive greater honour from proving himself the fiftieth cousin to Cadwallader or Caractacus through a long lime of David Ap Shenkins, Ap Morgans, Ap Powels, Ap Prices, than the horse by being half brother to the Godolphin Barb, or full cousin by the dam's side to the Bloody-Shoulder'd Arabian. The Romans were no less curious in the breed of their horses, and paid the greatest honours to those that beat the whole Circus hollow. They even erected monuments to their me mory, of which Lipsius gives us the following remarkable instance. Clarissimè lapis vetus, quem Romæ olim vidi et exscripsi. In medio vir est, qui dextrâ baculum sinistra pabulum tenet: extrinsecus duo sunt assilientes equi cum gemina inscriptione ;-Aquilo, Nepos Aquilonis vicit cxxx. secundas tulit lxxxviii. tertias tulit xxxvi.-Altera,-Hirpinus, Nepos Aquilonis vicit cxiv. secundas tulit lvi. tertias tulit xxxvi. Habes

itaque ipsum hic Hirpinum, atque adeò ejus Avum Aquilonem. I could wish, that the same honours were paid to our horses: I would at least propose, that the names, pedigrees, and a list of the plates won by victorious horses, should be inscribed on the posts of all courses, where they have made themselves famous. These memorials might serve to perpetuate the renown of our racers, and would furnish posterity with a more complete history of the turf than the Sportsman's Calendar.

You will undoubtedly observe, Mr. Town, that in the extract concerning horses, with which I have just presented you from Lipsius, a man is also mentioned; the account of whom would, if modernized, run in the following terms. "In the middle of the monument stood a man, with a whip in his right hand, and a feed of corn in his left." Hence it appears, that the Romans intended to do honour to the charioteer as well as horses; and it is a pity, that we do not also imitate them in this particular, and pay equal respect to our Jockeys. The chariot-race was not more celebrated among the antients, than the horse-race is at present; and the Circus at Rome never drew together so noble an assembly as the modern course. Nor do I see any reason, why Theron should be more applauded for carrying off the prize at Elis or Pisa, than Tom Marshal for winning the plate at York or Newmarket. The charioteers of old were, indeed, composed of the greatest princes and persons of the first rank, who prided themselves on their dexterity in managing the reins, and driving their own chariots. In this they have been imitated by several of our modern gentry, who value themselves on being excellent coachmen: and it is with infinite pleasure, that I have lately ob. served persons of fashion at all races affect the dress and manner of grooms. And as gentlemen, like the ancient charioteers, begin to enter the race themselves,

« PoprzedniaDalej »