CONTENTS
I. THE SWELL AND THE SURREY
II. THE YORKSHIREMAN AND THE SURREY
III. SURREY SHOOTING: MR. JORROCKS IN TROUBLE
IV. MR. JORROCKS AND THE SURREY STAGHOUNDS
V. THE TURF: MR. JORROCKS AT NEWMARKET
VI. A WEEK AT CHELTENHAM: THE CHELTENHAM DANDY
VII. AQUATICS: MR. JORROCKS AT MARGATE
VIII. THE ROAD: ENGLISH AND FRENCH
IX. MR. JORROCKS IN PARIS
X. SPORTING IN FRANCE
XI. A RIDE TO BRIGHTON ON "THE AGE"
XII. MR. JORROCKS'S DINNER PARTY
XIII. THE DAY AFTER THE FEAST: AN EPISODE BY THE YORKSHIREMAN
What true-bred city sportsman has not in his day putoff the most urgent business—perhaps his marriage, oreven the interment of his rib—that he might "bravethe morn" with that renowned pack, the Surrey subscriptionfoxhounds? Lives there, we would ask, athoroughbred, prime, bang-up, slap-dash, break-neck,out-and-out artist, within three miles of the Monument,who has not occasionally "gone a good 'un" with thiscelebrated pack? And shall we, the bard of Eastcheap,born all deeds of daring to record, shall we, who so ofthave witnessed—nay, shared—the hardy exploits of ourfellow-cits, shall we sit still, and never cease the eternaltwirl of our dexter around our sinister thumb, whileother scribes hand down to future ages the paltry featsof beardless Meltonians, and try to shame old FatherThames himself with muddy Whissendine's foul stream?Away! thou vampire, Indolence, that suckest the marrowof imagination, and fattenest on the cream of idea ereyet it float on the milk of reflection. Hence! slug-begottenhag, thy power is gone—the murky veil thou'st drawno'er memory's sweetest page is rent!
Harp of Eastcheap, awake!
Our thoughts hark back to the cover-side, and ourheart o'erflows with recollections of the past, when liferode the pace through our veins, and the bark of theveriest mongrel, or the bray of the sorriest costermonger'ssorriest "Jerusalem," were far more musical sounds thanPaganini's pizzicatos or Catalani's clamorous caterwaulings.
And, thou, Goddess of the Silver Bow—chaste Diana—deignto become the leading star of our lucubrations;come perch upon our grey goose quill; shout in our earthe maddening Tally-ho! and ever and anon give asalutary "refresher" to our memory with thy heaven-wroughtspurs—those spurs old Vulcan forged when inhis maddest mood—whilst we relate such feats of town-bornyouths and city squires, as shall "harrow up thesouls" of milk-sop Melton's choicest sons, and "frighttheir grass-galloping garrons from their propriety." Butgently, Pegasus!—Here again, boys, and "let's tobusiness," as they say on 'Change.
'Twere almost needless to inform our readers, thatsuch portion of a county as is hunted by any one packof hounds is technically denominated their country;and of all countries under the sun, that of the Surreysubscription foxhounds undoubtedly bears the bell.This superiority arises from the peculiar nature of thesoil—wretched starvation stuff most profusely studdedwith hug