cked up brutes, all
mane and tail, and worth about two pound ten each. One young fellow, a
tremendous dandy, galloped up and down on a gray Arab-looking pony that
an English gentleman would have put his little boy of twelve upon. The
styles of riding were various. There were the _haute ecole_ men, who
rode very long, and showed all their saddle in front of them, and the
Anglo-maniacs, who rode very short, and showed all their saddle behind
them. Some gentlemen seemed disposed to tie their legs together under
their horse's belly; others projected them on each side of his chest
like the cat-heads of a man-of-war. They all rode on the curb, with a
grasp of iron, holding the snaffle in the other hand, perpetually
nagging and spurring and hustling the wretched animals about, till they
did not know what to be at. HOOKER'S honest Yorkshire heart swelled with
bitterness all the time. "They oughtn't to be trusted out with a horse,"
he said. "It's a shame, by JOVE! They drive like a butcher, and ride
like a chummy on a moke" (HOOKER meant to say, a sweep on a donkey; but
he always prefers idiomatic expressions, which add great vigour to his
discourse). "However, I won't be unjust to the Mossoos. They can cook a
good dinner, and no mistake. Come to-night, old fellow, and dine with us
in the Rue Montorgueil. There's HAYCOCK of the 190th coming, and we
shall have some of CLICQUOT'S Champagne."

Good. We will be there.

[Illustration]

* * * * *

A MUSICAL PUMP.

A Composer, whom we cannot do less than call a Musical Pump, so full is
his head of crotchets and water--has published three watery sheets of
music for the Pianoforte, respectively entitled "The Morning Mist," "The
Rainbow," and "The Waterfall." Why should he stop here? why not
thoroughly drain the subject? why not fathom it in all its depths, until
he has not left a drop of water that can be sounded, or out of which any
sound can be got, by any other composer? In our liberality, we beg to
suggest a few subjects for him.

THE SHOWER OF RAIN--dedicated to the Lessee of Vauxhall, with an
illuminated frontispiece, showing a view of the "Ten Thousand additional
Lamps," in water colours.

THE UMBRELLA GALOP, and PARASOL POLKA, dedicated to the fair frequenters
of the Horticultural and Botanical Gardens--with a fine running
accompaniment.

THE DELUGE--humbly inscribed to LORD MAIDSTONE.

THE MACKINTOSH MARCH--with a view of Chobham Camp--