Henri Misson came over to England in the reign of James II., and published his experiences, which were translated by John Ozell, in 1719. Speaking of Hyde Park, he says, “The King has a Park so call’d at the end of one of the suburbs of _London_. Here the People of Fashion take the Diversion of the Ring: In a pretty high place, which lies very open, they have surrounded a Circumference of two or three hundred Paces Diameter with a sorry kind of Ballustrade, or rather with Poles plac’d upon Stakes, but three Foot from the ground; and the Coaches drive round and round this; when they have turn’d for some Time round one Way, they face about and turn t’other; So rowls the World.” On the completion of the Serpentine, and the consequent road on its north bank, the cramped and confined Ring went out of fashion, as we learn in No. 56 of _The London Spy Revived_, December 6, 1736. “The Ring in Hyde Park being quite disused by the Quality and Gentry, we hear that the ground will be taken in for enlarging the Royal Gardens at Kensington in the next Spring.” But this was probably either only a rumour, or else Queen Caroline was better advised. The old name, however, still clung to the new road, and the carriage ride round the Park is still indifferently called the Ring or the Drive. In the Library of the British Museum are two copies of an old ballad (circa 1670-5) entitled “News from _Hide-Park_,”[30] a portion of which gives a graphic description of the Park at that time. “One Evening, a little before it was dark, Sing tan tara rara tantivee, I called for my Gelding and rid to _Hide-Parke_ On tan tara rara tantivee: It was in the merry Month of _May_, When Meadows and Fields were gaudy and gay, And Flowers apparell’d as bright as the day, _I got upon my tantivee_. “The _Park_ shone brighter than the Skyes, Sing tan tara rara tantivee: With jewels and gold, and Ladies’ eyes, That sparkled and cry’d come see me: Of all parts of _England_, _Hide-park_ hath the name, For Coaches and Horses, and Persons of fame, It looked at first sight, like a field full of flame, _Which made me ride up tan-tivee_. “There hath not been seen such a sight since _Adam’s_ For Perriwig, Ribbon and Feather, Hide-park may be term’d the Market of _Madams_, Or _Lady-Fair_, chuse you whether; Their gowns were a yard too long for their legs, They shew’d like the Rainbow cut into rags, A Garden of Flowers, or a Navy of Flags, _When they all did mingle together_. “We talke away time until it grew dark, The place did begin to grow privee; The Gallants began to draw out of the Park: Their horses did gallop tantivee, But, finding my courage a little to come, I sent my bay Gelding away by my Groom, And proffered my service to wait on her home. _In her coach we went both tantivee._” [Illustration]