“Avaunt _Silenus_! thy lewd revels vile! Cold _Russia’s_ troops, in a more Northern clime, Are disciplined far better than to waste Their strength in fev’rish _Gin_; is this the scene Of execution military? more It seems _Silenus’_ Banquet. Ah! ’tis done, No mercy meets the wretch; it is not due If _George_ can give it not, whose royal breast Glows with forgiveness.”[41] The _Gentleman’s Magazine_ for 1747 gives an account of a military execution here. “Thursday, 26th Nov. A court-martial was held at _Whitehall_, general _Wade_ president, on the trial of Sergeant _Smith_, who was lately bought from _Scotland_, for deserting into the service of the _French_, and, afterwards, to that of the rebels; and after hearing, and the facts being proved, he was found guilty. “Friday, Dec. 11. Sergeant _Smith_ was conducted from the Savoy to the Parade in _St. James’s Park_, and from thence by a party of the Foot-guards, commanded by Col. _Dury_, attended by the minister of the Savoy, to _Hyde Park_, where he was hang’d on a gibbet erected for that purpose, and bury’d near it: he seemed not much concerned, and professed himself a protestant. He had been in the service of several princes, and abus’d them all by desertion. Having thus acquir’d divers languages, he was of great service to our officers in _Germany_, as interpreter, who treated him as a companion, and promoted him to be paymaster sergeant, by which, and other perquisites, he had above £200 per annum; but he could not overcome his propensity to change.” Anent this stone, Larwood says, that when Cumberland Gate was built, and the ground prepared for that purpose, this stone was found so deeply imbedded in the earth, that it was thought more convenient to cover than to remove it. The earth was consequently thrown over it, and it now lies buried in its original resting-place. On the north-west side of the Serpentine, and close by the bridge, which there crosses it, is a magazine for gunpowder, generally known as “The Magazine,” a singularly exposed position for the storage of such destructive material. It now forms the starting place, at the commencement of the season, of the “Four-in-Hand” and “Coaching” Clubs, either of which, if the weather is propitious, is a very pretty sight. The first of these clubs was started as the “Whip Club,” and in the _Morning Post_, June 9, 1808, is a description of a “Meet.” “The _Whip Club_ met on Monday morning in Park Lane, and proceeded from thence to dine at Harrow-on-the-Hill. There were fifteen barouche-landaus, with four horses to each; the drivers were all men of known skill in the science of charioteering. Lord Hawke, Mr. Buxton, and the Hon. Lincoln Stanhope were among the leaders.