And humblest gig through sundry suburbs whirl," To Hampstead, Brentford, Harrow make repair; Till the tired jade the wheel forgets to hurl, Provoking envious gibe from each pedestrian churl.

LXX.

Some o'er thy Thamis row the ribboned fair,.

Others along the safer turnpike fly;

Some Richmond-hill ascend, some scud to Ware,
And many to the steep of Highgate hie.

Ask ye, Boeotian Shades! the reason why ? 15.B.

'Tis to the worship of the solemn Horn,'

ii.

ii. And droughty man alights and roars for“ Roman Purl." ?—

for Punch or Purl.-[D.]

iii. Some o'er thy Thames convoy ·

[MS. D.]

.—[MS. D.]

1. [Hone's Everyday Book (1827, ii. 80-87) gives a detailed account of the custom of "swearing on the horns" at Highgate. "The horns, fixed on a pole of about five feet in length, were erected by placing the pole upright on the ground near the person to be sworn, who is requested to take off his hat," etc. The oath, or rather a small part of it, ran as follows: "Take notice what I am saying unto you, for that is the first word of your oath-mind that! You must acknowledge me [the landlord] to be your adopted father, etc. . . . You must not eat brown bread while you can get white, except you like the brown best. You must not drink small beer while you can get strong, except you like the small best. You must not kiss the maid while you can kiss the mistress, but sooner than lose a good chance you may kiss them both," etc. Drovers, who frequented the “Gate House” at the top of the hill, and who wished to keep the tavern to themselves, are said to have been responsible for the rude beginnings of this tedious foolery."]

2. A festive liquor so called. Query why "Roman"? [Query if "Roman"? "Purl Royal,' Canary wine with a dash of the tincture of wormwood" (Grose's Class. Dict.).]

Grasped in the holy hand of Mystery,

In whose dread name both men and maids are sworn, And consecrate the oath with draught, and dance till

morn.

LXXI.

All have their fooleries-not alike are thine,
Fair Cadiz, rising o'er the dark blue sea!1
Soon as the Matin bell proclaimeth nine,

Thy Saint-adorers count the Rosary :

Much is the VIRGIN teased to shrive them free (Well do I ween the only virgin there)

From crimes as numerous as her beadsmen be;

Then to the crowded circus forth they fare: Young, old, high, low, at once the same diversion share.

LXXII.

The lists are oped, the spacious area cleared,"
Thousands on thousands piled are seated round;

1. [M. Darmesteter quotes a striking passage from Gautier's Voyage en Espagne (xv.), in appreciation of Cadiz and Byron: "L'aspect de Cadix, en venant du large, est charmant. A la voir ainsi étincelante de blancheur entre l'azur de la mer et l'azur du ciel, on dirait une immense couronne de filigrane d'argent; le dôme de la cathédrale, peint en jaune, semble une tiare de vermeil posée au milieu. Les pots de fleurs, les volutes et les tourelles qui terminent les maisons, varient à l'infini la dentelure. Byron a merveilleusement caractérisé la physionomie de Cadix en une seule touche :

"Brillante Cadix, qui t'élèves vers le ciel du milieu du bleu foncé de la mer."]

2. [The actors in a bull-fight consist of three or four classes: the chulos or footmen, the banderilleros or dart-throwers,

Long ere the first loud trumpet's note is heard,
Ne vacant space for lated wight is found :
Here Dons, Grandees, but chiefly Dames abound,
Skilled in the ogle of a roguish eye,

Yet ever well inclined to heal the wound;

None through their cold disdain are doomed to die, As moon-struck bards complain, by Love's sad archery.

LXXIII.

Hushed is the din of tongues-on gallant steeds,

With milk-white crest, gold spur, and light-poised lance,
Four cavaliers prepare for venturous deeds,
And lowly-bending to the lists advance;

the picadores or horsemen, the matadores or espadas the
executioners. Each bull-fight, which lasts about twenty
minutes, is divided into three stages or acts. In the first
act the picadores receive the charge of the bull, defending
themselves, but not, as a rule, attacking the foe with their
lances or garrochas. In the second act the chulos, who are
not mounted, wave coloured cloaks or handkerchiefs in the
bull's face, and endeavour to divert his fury from the picadores,
in case they have been thrown or worsted in the encounter.
At the same time, the banderilleros are at pains to implant
in either side of the bull's neck a number of barbed darts
ornamented with cut paper, and, sometimes, charged with
detonating powder. It is de rigeur to plant the barbs exactly
on either side. In the third and final act, the protagonist,
the matador or espada, is the sole performer.
His function
is to entice the bull towards him by waving the muleta or
red flag, and, standing in front of the animal, to inflict the
death-wound by plunging his sword between the left shoulder
and the blade. "The teams of mules now enter, glittering
with flags and tinkling with bells, whose gay decorations
contrast with the stern cruelty and blood; the dead bull
is carried off at a rapid gallop, which always delights the
populace."-Handbook for Spain, by Richard Ford, 1898,
i. 67-76.]

Rich are their scarfs, their chargers featly prance:

If in the dangerous game they shine to-day,
The crowd's loud shout and ladies' lovely glance,
Best prize of better acts! they bear away,

And all that kings or chiefs e'er gain their toils repay.

LXXIV.

In costly sheen and gaudy cloak arrayed,
But all afoot, the light-limbed Matadore
Stands in the centre, eager to invade

The lord of lowing herds; but not before

The ground, with cautious tread, is traversed o'er,

Lest aught unseen should lurk to thwart his speed: His arms a dart, he fights aloof, nor more

Can Man achieve without the friendly steedAlas! too oft condemned for him to bear and bleed.

LXXV.

Thrice sounds the Clarion; lo! the signal falls,
The den expands, and Expectation mute
Gapes round the silent circle's peopled walls.
Bounds with one lashing spring the mighty brute,
And, wildly staring, spurns, with sounding foot,
The sand, nor blindly rushes on his foe:

Here, there, he points his threatening front, to suit
His first attack, wide-waving to and fro

His angry tail; red rolls his eye's dilated glow.

LXXVI.

Sudden he stops-his eye is fixed-away-
Away, thou heedless boy! prepare the spear:
Now is thy time, to perish, or display

brook

The skill that yet may check his mad career!
With well-timed croupe1 the nimble coursers veer;
On foams the Bull, but not unscathed he goes;
Streams from his flank the crimson torrent clear:
He flies, he wheels, distracted with his throes;'
Dart follows dart-lance, lance-loud bellowings speak
his woes.

LXXVII.

Again he comes; nor dart nor lance avail,
Nor the wild plunging of the tortured horse;
Though Man and Man's avenging arms assail,
Vain are his weapons, vainer is his force.
One gallant steed is stretched a mangled corse;
Another, hideous sight! unseamed appears,

His gory chest unveils life's panting source;

Though death-struck, still his feeble frame he rears; Staggering, but stemming all, his Lord unharmed he bears.

I.

The croupe is a particular leap taught in the manège." -[MS] [Croupe, or croup, denotes the hind quarters of a horse. Compare Scott's ballad of "Young Lochinvar "— "So light to the croupe the fair lady he swung." Here it is used for "croupade," "a high curvet in which the hind legs are brought up under the belly of the horse" (N. Eng. Dict., art. "Croupade."]