“Come,” said he, “we'll start 'em off home in high style--here, you Mr. Bugman, can you ride?” “Ride, aye to be sure I can, any of Mr. Astley's horses as well as the Champion of England,”{6} was the reply. 1 Old Tom--It is customary in public-houses and gin-shops in London and its vicinity to exhibit a cask inscribed with large letters--OLD TOM, intended to indicate the best gin in the house. 2 Munched--Eat. 3 Sluiced--Washed. See Sluicery. 4 Chops--The mouth. 5 Jacky--A vulgar term for gin. 6 Any person would almost suspect that Hookey had been reading the newspapers by this allusion; but that certainly could not be the case, for, spurning all education in early life, this representative of the immortal bard--this character of characters from Shakespeare, could neither read nor write, but made all he acted, as he said, from his own head: however, it may fairly be presumed, that in the course of his travels during the day he had heard something of the Champion intended to appear at the approaching Coronation, of whom the following account has recently been circulated through the daily press, and, with his usual consistency, conceived his own innate abilities equal to those which might be acquired by Mr. Dymocke, though his claims were not equally honourable or advantageous. Mr. Dymocke, the nephew of the gentleman (who is a Clergyman) entitled by hereditary right to do the service of the Champion to his Majesty, is still in hopes he may be permitted to act under his Uncle's nomination, although he wants a few months of being of age. A petition is before the King on the subject; and Mr. Dymocke, by constant practice at Astley's Hiding-school, is endeavouring to qualify himself for the due fulfilment of the office. On Thursday lie went through his exercise in a heavy suit of armour with great celerity. The horse which will be rode by the Champion has been selected from Mr. Astley's troop. It is a fine animal, pieballed black and white, and is regularly exercised in the part he will have to perform. “Walk in--walk in, Ladies and Gentlemen, just going to begin--come, Mr. Merryman, all ready--Ladies and Gentlemen, please to observe, this here horse is not that there horse.” “So we laugh at John Bull a little.” ~123~~“Come, then,” continued Sparkle, “another glass--half-a-crown to ride to the bottom of the lane and up Holboru-hill on that donkey at the door, and you shall be our Champion.” “A bargain--a bargain,” said the assumed Hookey Walker, rubbing the tallow from his _gills_.{1}