142 Anecdotes of the late Edward Wortley Montague, Efq. much approve of; for although they may not have fignalized themselves in the chafe, or by any other means obtained the honourable appellation of a SPORTSMAN; yet certain traits in their character may ferye to amufe, if they do not tend greatly to the inftruction of thofe who are entitled to it. I have feen in page 35 of your third volume, a fhort anecdote of that eccentric character Edward Wortley Montague, which has induced me to fend you the following account of him. If you think it will afford entertainment to your readers, you will infert it, and oblige an admirer and CONSTANT READER. May 30, 1794 ANECDOTES OF THE LATE EDWARD WORTLEY MONTAGUE, BSQ: The celebrated Edward Wort ley Montague, Efq. died fome years fince on his return from Venice to England. As this gentleman was remarkable for the ncommon incidents which attended his life, the clofe of that life was no lefs marked with fingularity. He had been early married to a woman, who afpired to a character no higher than that of an induftrious watherwoman. As the marriage was folemnized. in a frolic, Wortley never deemed her fufficiently the wife of his bofom to cohabit with her. She was allowed a maintenance. lived contented, and was too fubaniffive to be troublefome on account of the conjugal rites. Mr. Montague, on the other hand, was a perfect patriarch in his manners. He had wives of almoft every nation. When he was with Ali Bey in Egypt, he She had his household of Egyptian females; each striving who should be the happy fhe; who could gain the greatest afcendancy over this Anglo-Eaftern Bafhaw. At Conftantinople, the Grecian women had charms to captivate this unfettled wanderer. In Spain, a Spanish brunette; in Italy, the olive-complexioned females, were folicited to partake the honours of the bridal bed. It may be afked what became of this group of wives? Mr. Montague was continually fhifting the place, and confequently varying the fcene. Did he travel with his wives, as the patriarchs did with their flocks and herds? No fuch thing. Wortley confidering his wives as bad travelling companions, generally left them behind him. It happened, however, that news reached his ears of the death of the original Mrs. Montague, the wafherwoman. Wortley had no iffue by her, and without iffue male, a very large eftate would revert to the fecond fon of Lord Bute Wortley. owing the family no obligations, was determined, if poffible, to defeat their expectations. He refolved to return to England and marry. He acquainted a friend with his intentions, and he commiffioned that friend to advertife for any young decent woman, who might be in a pregnant ftate. The advertifement was inferted fhortly after in one of the morning papers. Several ladies answered it One out of the number was felected, as being the moft eligible object. She waited with eagernefs for the arrival of her expected bridegroom; but, behold, whilft he was. on his journey, Death very impertinently arrested him in his career. Thus ended the days of Edward Wortley Montague The Game of Happiness. Montague, Efq. a man who had paffed through fuch variegated fcenes, that a bare recital of them would favour of the marvellous. From Westminster-fchool, where he was placed for education, he ran away three feveral times. He exchanged clothes with a chim. ney-fweeper, and he followed for fome time that footy occupation. He next joined himself to a fisherman, and cried flounders in Rotherhithe. He then failed as a cabin-boy to Spain, where he had no fooner arrived, than he ran away from the veffel, and hired himself to a driver of mules, After thus vagabondizing it for fome time, he was difcovered by the conful, who returned him to 143 was as well acquainted as with his native tongue. He published feveral pieces. One on the "Rife and fall of the Roman Empire." Another, an exploration of "The Caufes of Earthquakes."" He had great natural abilities, a vast fhare of acquired knowledge. He had fcarcely a fingle vice. for he is dead. That he had vir.. tues to counterbalance his failings, Omniscience will discover, when weighing them in the fcale of merit. Infinite mercy will. take care that the beam fhall preponderate in favour of his future happiness. his friends in England. They To the Editors of the Sporting received him with a joy equal to that of the father of the prodigal fon in the gospel. A private tutor was employed to recover thofe rudiments of learning which a life of diffipation, of blackguard. ifm, and of vulgarity, might have obliterated. Wortley was fent to the West Indies, where he remained fome time, then returned to England, acting according to the dignity of his birth, was chosen a member, and ferved in two fucceffive parliaments. His expences exceeding his income, he became involved in debt, quitted his native country, and commenced that wandering traveller he continued to the time of his death. Having visited most of the eastern countries, he contracted a partiality for their manners. He drank little wine; a great deal of coffee; wore a long beard; fmoaked much; and even whilft at Venice, he was habited in the eastern ftile. He fat crofslegged in the Turkish fashion, through choice. With the He. brew, the Arabic, the Chaldaic, and the Perfian languages, he Magazine. Gentlemen, BEING a great admirer of periodical works of the defcription of the Spectator, Tatler, Rambler, &c. &c. I am frequently killing part of that time which a good income has allotted me, in perufing thofe works; chance led me the other day to the paper, number 167 of the WORLD, from which I tranfcribe the following ingenious and well written extract. If you think as: I do, you will give it a place, and oblige a conftant reader of your entertaining Mifcellany. Your's, &c. French Atheistical Anecdote a 144 dufky footy colour. Every feventh card is equivalent to court-card, of which there are fifty-two in each pack; and upon playing properly, thefe court cards, the fortunate event of the game is thought greatly to depend. "It is played from one to any bear adding the Directions and Rules for playing, which, in my opinion, abound with good fenfe, equal to the above, and may, if you think them worth inferting, form a part of another Number. Magazine, GENTLEMEN, number of players, the game of To the Editors of the Sporting one is the leaft entertaining: the game of two is much applauded by lookers on; but as a great number must naturally give more HAD no expectation that you variety to the game, a party of I would have published the few ten or a dozen is the moft defirable fet, though the players may be fubject to many revokes. Great lovers of the game are, indeed, fond of fitting down to a crowded table; but it is generally obferved, that an inattentive and flovenly manner of playing is too often the confequence. One pack of cards will laft a confiderable time, as may be conjectured from their footy backs: inafmuch as the greatest players are feldom known to pay for more than three fcore and ten packs during the whole courfe of their lives. "They that have the most tricks, win the largest divifion of the ftake, but every player gets fomething, befides the great pleafure of playing, which is thought to be fuperlative. "This great GAME partakes of the excellencies of all other games: you are often piqued and repiqued, as at piquet; You are fometimes beafted as at quadrille; often checked as at chefs: put back as at the game of goofe; and fubject to the nicks after the manner of hazard. It differs in one particular from all other games, viz. that the harper is always fure to be overmatched by the fair player." ***Not having an inclination to be troublefome to you, I for hafty ftrictures I fent you laft month, but I think in fo doing you acted both impartially and judiciously; and with your permiffion, I intend myfelf the pleafure (in the courfe of the month) to prefent you with a column or two more. The following anecdote I extracted from a letter which came by the laft conveyance from Bruffells, and which is at your fervice, if you think it worth infertion in your next Magazine. "On the night on which Robespierre made his celebrated harangue in favour of the immortality of the foul and a future ftate, Jaques Aubard, ftudent, went to a certain burying ground and fmutted over the fentimental infcription which now ufually adorns thofe manfions of the dead; fubftituting the following curious one in its place; 66 By command of Almighty Robespierre, Death is now longer eternal fleep!" no Unfortunately for the poor ftudent (who was known to be employed by that party which has of late been formed against the dictator) he was watched and apprehended, and being delivered over to the Revolutionary Tribunal, was guillotined the next day at twelve o'clock, amidst the accla Extract from Mr. Gambado. acclamations of vive la liberté ! vive la republique !-vive la fyf. tem de la nature! and the execrations of the Parifion mob, who had no idea of a crime more heinous than that of endeavouring to disturb the innocent and pa triotic defunct, and deprive them of the convenient comfort of their everlafting nap. So much for the deifm of France, fo vaunted of late by Prieftly, and the rest of your English democrats. I am, Gentlemen, with the warmest wishes for the fuccefs of your useful and entertaining Mifcellany, Your obedient fervant, A GENTLEMAN JOCKEY. Hudfon's Coffee Houfe, Bond Street. APPAREL necessary to be worn by every ACCOMPLISHED SPORTSMAN; recommended by GEOFFRY GAMBADO. prefented our readers in WE prefented our readers in page 70 of our Third Volume with an extract from Gam. bado's Academy for grown Horjemen, and intimated an intention of refuming the fubject in a future Number, the extraordivery nary prefs of matter which from that time to the present, has been crowded on us, precluded the poffibility of a performance of it. And even now, we can only give Mr. Gambado's opinion of the APPAREL neceffary to be worn by every accomplished Sportsman. "Touching the apparel then" fays this ingenious gentleman, "I will begin at top; Wear a wig, if poffible, and fhould you be a fportfman, and hunt the foreft, the larger and whiter it is, the fafer for you; for fhould * Epping. 145 your horfe prove what is properly termed too many for you, and make off, nothing but the fingularity of your appearance can restore you to your difconfolate family. "The hallooing and hooting of the boys that this will occafion, will enable your friends to trace you through most of the villages you may have paffed; and at the worft, to know in what part of the country to have you cried. I never admired a round hat, but with a large wig it is infuportable; and in truth, a moft puerile ornament for the head of a sober man. In windy weather you are blinded with it; the inconveni encies it occafions to men of bu finefs, or rather those who are called on the road, a rider, a bagman, or bagfter, are that by its being blown over his eyes, he is' frequently carried a contrary way from his intended rout. A cocked hat, befides the advantages over its competitor, and the dignity it gives to the most unhappy countenance, has fo many others, that it is wonderful to me, it is not univerfally worn, but more particularly by equestrians. If in windy weather, you are blinded; in rain, you are deluged by round hat; whereas one properly cocked, will retain the water un, til you arrive at your baiting place, and keep your head (which riding may have heated) agreeably cool; having much the fame effect upon it, that a pan of water has upon a flower-pot. "Let your boots be tomewhat fhort, and the knees of your breeches but just reach the joint, fo that the flap of your faddle (and obferve, a fingle-flapped faddle is the genteeleft) may be con.. tinually curling up, and chafing you between the confines of the boots and breeches, by which means 146 Particulars of the Horfes of this Country. means you will be fatisfied that your leg is in a proper pofition." It is to be regretted that much of the author's friendly advice as to drefs, is wanting; but the recollection of his friend furnishes the world with Mr. Gambado's idea, that black pluf breeches | in fummer, were the most fashionable; and that he ever recommended a coat of pompadour or fome confpicuous colour, for the fame obvious reafon that he thought a large wig of fuch mo ment. Curious PARTICULARS of the (Continued from page 72.) Torfes and carts were the a trot, being too unwieldy in him- A curtal is a horfe whofe tail is cut, or fhortened-in the French curtaud. A gambaldyinge horse was one of fhew and parade, a managed, horfe, from the Italian gamba, a leg. only method of conveyance for An amblynge horfe is too well all forts of people, and the queen known to need explanation. The rode behind her master of the amble, long before this time, as horfe, when he went in ftate to well as for a long time after, was St. Paul's. This fashion, how, fuch a favourite pace, and fo ever, prevailed only in the for- much liked for its ease and mer part of her reign, and was fmoothnefs, that almost all fad. totally fuppreffed by the appear- dle-horfes were taught to perform ance of coacles. Their intro-it, especially thofe who were rode duction occafioned a much larger by the rich, the indolent, and demand for horfes than former infum. times had wanted; and fuch was the number of them employed in this fervice, that at the latter end of the queen's reign, a bill was propofed in the houfe of lords, to reftrain the fuperfluous and exceffive ufe of coaches. It was rejected upon the fecond reading. The lords, however, directed the attorney-general to perufe the ftatutes for the promoting the breed of horfes, and to confider fome proper bill in its room. A gret doble trottynge horfe was a tall, broad, and well fpread horfe, whofe beft pace was the A NARRATIVE of the SUFFER- (Concluded from Page 92.) the river on which the mill food, there OPPOSITE which was a bleach field. It is cuftomary for the watchman in the night to blow a horn to frighten thieves. This I frequently heard when I was in the pit; and very often, when I was in a found fleep at the miller's I have been awakened by it in the greate it |