that it was the constant custom to insist upon a previous payment, to prevent losses by the drivers being robbed, which frequently happened on the road. They also swore that the defendant was very grossly abused by the plaintiff: that no tender was made; and that the defendant behaved himself with civility and propriety.

Mr. Erskine, on behalf of the defendant, contended that he had a right to insist on previous pay

ment.

Lord Ellenborough told the jury that he thought an inn-keeper had a right to insist upon previous payment, if made before the travellers got into the chaise, but if he suffered their luggage to be fastened on, and the travellers to take possession of the chaise, without making any demand, they had a right to insist on proceeding without previous payment. With respect to the tender, his Lordship said, the evidence was contradictory; but if they believed the tender was made, he thought the defendant had no ground of defence whatever. He left it to the jury, who found a verdict for the plaintiff for nominal damages.

next, for shooting without a license; and, lastly, for having exposed pheasants to sale. The jury, he observed, were many of them men of landed property, and perhaps some might be lords of manors; but all the comforts and advantages they received from their situation as landholders, would be nothing, if the manners of the defendant in this cause could ever be tolerated. A gentleman who had a character to sustain in his neighbourhood, would conduct himself with propriety in his sports, and must also pay the duty to qualify him to enjoy field sports; but the anywhereians, residing near the skirts of London, sported all round the home counties, as far as horse and buggy could carry them, without either license or qualification. The defendent in the present case was of that description. There was a party of them, of five or six four-legged dogs, and four men, which came down to Lawrence Aytes, in this county, on the second of October last, and went all round that part of the county, killing not only the cock pheasants, but the hens also, which was most unsportsmanlike conduct. The defendant on the record, Mr. Charles Deaton, was one, his brother another, and a Mr. Tarling, a hay salesman, a third, with a fourth, whose name they had not yet learned. He should prove the fact by the ostler at the public house where they put up; and, when he had done that, he was entitled to the verdict of the jury. He had no doubt but his learned Brother (Best) would make an eloquent speech on the other side; but he was sure he had no legal answer to give to this charge.

He called a witness of the name of Sherrington to prove these facts, who stated, that four persons came down to his master's house, a pub

lic

R. Nash, a sawyer, stated, that he saw the last witness in company with four men, on the 2d of October last, hunting their dogs; he heard several shots, but did not see any birds killed.

Mr. Serjeant Best, for the defence, was proceeding to comment on the insufficiency of the evidence, as to identifying the person of the defendant, and observed, the jury did not know who the plaintiff was; the Mr. Lucas, who appeared in Court as the prochein amy of the game of Hertfordshire- -when he was interrupted by the Learned Judge, who said, he did not think the identity of the defendant was sufficiently proved. He recollected the case of a subscribing witness to a bond, who had never seen the party who executed it but that once,

and it was held not sufficient proof, without some farther evidence, to shew that the party who executed it w was the same party who was sucd.

The plaintiff was accordingly

non-suited.

vere frost, the Serpentine River, in Hyde Park, was the scene of attraction, and where our first rate dashers endeavoured to outvie each other in Skaiting. It is likewise to be noticed, that there was Skaiting at the Marquis of Abercorn's, during the grand Fete given at the Priory, near Stanmore, where some Ladies took the diversion, and that with such grace, along the slippery way, as to enchant every male beholder. Our artist was questioned if he could not make his design from this last, and oblige us with LADIES SKAITING? "Oh, G-, no!" he exclaimed, "who can catch the graceful form, and elegant manner of the Hamiltons, or depict the bewitching ancle of ?" Say no more," was our reply, we must be content with the motley group in Hyde Park."

66

66

For the Sporting Magazine.

OLD PUGILISTIC

AND

ATHLETIC BIOGRAPHY.

HAVE not observed, in the pu

gilistic annals of the Sporting Magazine, the name of a Suffolk man, Hugh Wright, once so noted in his own country, particularly in Ipswich, where he lived and died. Yet, if vast athletic powers, the port and aspect of a giant, an exalted degree of courage, both active and passive, and the most meek and benevolent disposition, have any claim to remembrance, the name of Hugh Wright ought surely to find a place in the necrology of his fellows. Hugh was the eldest of three bro. thers, corn-porters at Ipswich, all fighting men; the lowest in stature.

of

of them, nearly six feet six inches, with proportionate bulk, squareness, and capacity of chest. They excelled in carrying vast weights, at the same time possessing a wonder. ful agility and flexibility of muscle, by virtue of which, as the writer of this article has many times seen, one of them has kicked a hat, placed at more than the height of seven feet, with the single foot on which he stood. In the slang of that day, this fashionable exertion was called kicking with a standing leg; and should any young buck unacquainted with this feat, think lightly of it, he may probably be convinced by a coup d'essai at only the height of five feet, being careful, however, to kick with the proper foot. The same person of these brothers, more than once, took up from the ground a five bushel sack of peas, and without assistance, throwing it upon his shoulders, ran up two pair of stairs, with the nimbleness of a lamplighter; but at one particular time, his lifting and suspending powers had nearly cost him dear. Being insuked and braved, at a house of private evening entertainment, by a tall raw-boned captain of a collier, to manifest at once, his contempt and his powers, he seized the north countryman by the waist, and suspending him on high, as Hercules did Antæus of old, dashed him down upon the hearth with a force that left him apparently lifeless. Wright recollect ing himself for a moment, and his constitutional good nature succeeding his passion, lifted up the fallen captain, administered to him all the comforts which could be procured, and had the satisfaction to find that no material injury had occurred.

It is an old saying upon the Turf, "that a great good horse must always beat a little good one," which is indeed a mathematical truth, and may serve by way of analogy to evince the immense consequence of VOL. XXI. No. 126.

science. Supposing both science and goodness upon a balance, it is evident that superiority of muscular powers and of stature must always bear away the palm on the boxing stage. Had Hugh Wright possessed scientific skill, he would probably have attained the height of Champion of England, not only in consequence of his great strength, but from the singular union of activity and stoutness, or coolness of temper. He was however never pitted against any scientific boxer, although he proved conqueror in every battle he fought, which were not a few: his last rencounter was with Griggs the butcher, at a football meeting, near Thorp in Essex; they were both much in liquor, fat, and totally out of condition, and hammered each other full two hours, when they left off by mutual consent through mere weariness. Wright was then in the service of Mr. Trotman the Brewer, who thenceforth exacted an engagement from him never to fight again, to the great mortification of the Suffolk amateurs, who fully expected a merry meeting between him and Ripshaw, lately removed from Newmarket to Ipswich, and then commonly called the collar-maker. It would certainly have been a good match, as far as Ripshaw's strength would have carried him, since he indubitably possessed the advantage in point of skill. The most universal of conquerors had however, soon after, the honour of giving Hugh Wright the knock down blow. He had but a short time set up a public house, where he died in the following way, about the year 1771. His youngest brother, William, was one day sparring with him, in his kitchen, and accidentally tripping him up, the fall upon the stones fractured his scull. These are the kind of accidents against which no human prudence can guard, and which thence, U u

ought