THE EXQUISITE

The Godsdown tigress with her cub

( Lady and Tommy Crowmarsh ) came.

The great eyes smouldered in the dame,

Wit glittered, too, which few men saw.

There was more beauty there than claw.

Tommy in bearing, horse and dress

Was black, fastidious, handsomeness,

Choice to his trimmed soul's fingertips.

Heredia's sonnets on his lips.

A line undrawn, a plate not bitten,

A stone uncut, a phrase unwritten,

That would be perfect, made his mind.

A choice pull, from a rare print, signed,

Was Tommy. He collected plate,

( Old sheffield ) and he owned each state

Of all the Meryon Paris etchings.

Colonel Sir Button Budd of Fletchings

Was there; Long Robert Thrupp was there,

( Three yards of him men said there were ),

Long as the King of Prussia's fancy.

He rode the longlegged Necromancy,

A useless racehorse that could canter.

George Childrey with his jolly banter

Was there, Nick Childrey, too, come down

The night before from London town,

To hunt and have his lungs blown clean.

The Ilsley set from Tuttocks Green

Was there ( old Henry Ilsley drove ),

Carlotta Ilsley brought her love

A flop-jowled broker from the city.

Men pitied her, for she was pretty.

Some grooms and second horsemen mustered.

A lot of men on foot were clustered

Round the inn-door, all busy drinking,

One heard the kissing glasses clinking

In passage as the tray was brought.

Two terriers ( which they had there ) fought

There on the green, a loud, wild whirl.

Bell stopped them like a gallant girl.

The hens behind the tavern clucked.