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Jan. 10, 1818.

32. "DEAR SIRS, "I have taken this method of conveying to you some papers; and I hope the contents of the basket will indemnify the charges. I am entirely recluse, and see little of what passes, and my infirmities will not permit me to enter into conversation; but from what intelligence I can pick up, I have the pleasure to find for your sakes, that my little performance hath been favourably received, and the only fault of it was, its being too short. I certainly could have prolonged it. I sent to you some time ago, at the request of a friend at Blandford, the copy of an old letter, giving an account of some occurrences which happened at Blandford in former days; and I find that he expected to have seen it inserted in the last Magazine, and that it has been a disappointment to several of his friends. If you should think it worthy of insertion at any time, it is my wish to add a little to it to satisfy my own curiosity *. Where the gaming matters are mentioned †, there is no name given to the game at which so much money passed; it could not be an out-of-door game, because it was in the winter, and I cannot guess what game it could be. I know that, at the time when Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick commanded the British army before the battle of Minden, there was much gaming in the camp; and much money won and lost at a game called pass-dice; then succeeded Pharaoh, E. O., rouge et noir, and many others of the kind; but they must have been unknown in those days, and chess, draughts, backgammon, &c. must have required much inore thought and attention than the persons in question could have been endowed with; I wish, therefore, to know what game it could be. If you can find room for the little sketch of my life, and see no impropriety in the insertion of it in your Magazine, I think it will be of great benefit to me at this time, under the circumstances which I have mentioned in the paper herewith sent; and will greatly oblige

"Your sincere humble servant,

WM. CHAFIN.

"A line from you at the receipt of this will be acceptable. "This instant, whilst the basket was packing up, I received the favour of your letter, to which I will pay due attention; and

* This article, an amusing letter from Mrs. Chafin (our author's grandmother, and the daughter of the martyred loyalist Col. Penruddock) to her husband Thomas Chafin, Esq. in 1688, was printed in the Supplement to the LXXXVIIth volume of Gent. Mag. pt. ii. p. 603.

"Saturday was a se'nnight there was lost at Blandford Ornary a thousand pounds, by one Mr. Clark, a parson's son; Sir George Savage woon six score pounds back that he had lost to him the Saterday before, and five hundred more on tick; and Sir Simon Leek woon three hundred pounds; but afterwards there was a great quarrel, which have caused great disturbance. My brother Ryves is weary of going, for now he says it is not an Ornary for bisness but for play; but for all what he says they were all there again a Saterday, and a great deall of money lost, Mr. Ogden have the devil on his side still."

should it happen that another edition be required, I will endeavour to be prepared for it. It gives me much satisfaction to find that Mr. Nichols is well, whom I have known, though not personally, many years, and highly esteemed; and I thank God I am much better than I could reasonably expect at my very great age."

Chettle, Feb. 11, 1818.

33. DEAR SIRS, "I yesterday perused the reviewing part of your Magazine, and I was sorry to see so much notice taken of the little pamphlet. It is overstrained; and, should any thing else come forward, it will fare the worse, for it will be expected to keep up to the same mark; but I have much to say on that subject. When I last heard from you, a hint was given me that in all likelihood a second edition of the pamphlet would be called for. I took the hint; and, as I have been blessed with an interval of better health than I could have reason to expect, I have taken the opportunity of continuing on the History of Cranbourne Chase to a much greater extent, with some strange stories and tales. And I take the liberty of advising you not to wait for a call for a second edition, but to proceed immediately, for it never can be so well timed as now, and many things have lately occurred which make it particularly so at this instant, and you will find calls enough for it. I shall herewith send all that I have prepared, which I hope will come safe, for I have no copy; and, should it be favoured by the approbation of Mr. Nichols senior in the slightest degree, I shall be encouraged to go on with alacrity somewhat further. I have sent an explanatory paper, and an old letter to be inserted in the former edition, and marked the pages where; and I do not think it will be necessary to add any thing more to it, for you will find a minute account of every particular respecting the Chase which can be given with propriety, and I have most carefully avoided giving offence or an unpleasant feeling to any one; and I am confident that the only objection that can be made to my new performance is the lowness of the subjects. My tales are rather antique, but founded on truth. I shall be anxious to hear from you; for, if the papers should be lost, they can never be recovered, for my memory

The commendation of Sylvanus Urban was thus supported by a publication more immediately dedicated to the subject of the little volume: "We take the earliest opportunity of paying attention to this interesting publication. It contains much important information on the question now pending in regard to Lord Rivers's rights over Cranbourne Chase; and will be found highly agreeable and amusing to sportsmen in general, both with respect to the sporting habits of their ancestors, and the present state of affairs in the district described, that ancient theatre of field sports. The pleasure of reading these clear-headed and spirited pages is greatly enhanced by the consideration that they were penned by a gentleman so far advanced in life, as actually to have followed the buckhounds seventy years!" Sporting Magazine, Jan. 1818.

never will bear such a stretch again. I hope, therefore, to hear from you as soon as possible; and I am,

"Your sincere humble servant,

34. "DEAR SIRS,

WM. CHAFIN."

Chettle, March 10, 1818.

"I have been confined to my room the last seven weeks, and I am so now, and I have not been able to attend to any thing but for a few short intervals at a time when pain abated; and I took every opportunity I could to scribble something towards your proposed publication, but I can go no further. What I have written I shall send to you; it has cost me much pains, more than all I have before written. Of the way in which you propose printing and publishing I can form no judgment; but I am confident that the higher the price you set upon the books, the more demand you will have for them. If you should think proper to add to the foregoing what I have now sent, it will be advisable in the title-page to say, with some scenes in, and anecdotes of, Windsor Forest. You will find much novelty and extrao rdinary circumstances, but all founded on truth, and can give no offence to any one; and I flatter myself that I have kept up my character, and ended in the same sporting way that I began.

"I have received your parcel, and have read your letter, and I do not think a frontispiece to be of any consequence. There are more material matters to be considered, in which I totally differ from you.

"You may assure yourself that, if you go on to publish in two separate parts, such patch-work will never go down, but will be scouted, and will lie on your hands; and I do most strongly advise you not to do it, but, as you have materials sufficient to print the whole in one handsome volume, with a better type and at a price according, it will be of ten times the advantage to you. Those who have got the first edition will not, for the sake of a few shillings, be deterred from buying the second, but it will be rather a motive for doing it. After what I am about to mention, I think you will agree to what I have proposed. The Rev. Mr. Rackett, that worthy ingenious gentleman who was such an assistant in Hutchins's History, and who cannot be unknown to you, expecting that a second edition of the Chase would be published in the manner I have mentioned, hath been preparing prints for the work, which would be presented to you; one of them, that of deer-stealers with the swindgels, as I have described in my narrative. Your plan, if pursued, will put a stop to Mr. Rackett's assistance, as well as several others whom I know, and it will throw a damp upon the whole business; and you will have no demand for your two separate volumes, but one large one complete will be called for from all quarters. I am certain of what I say; and I hope you will consider it well. I am faithfully yours, WM. CHAFIN."

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35. Messrs. NICHOLS to Mr. CHAFIN. "DEAR SIR, March 12, 1818. Many thanks for your advice, which we mean to follow, in so far as to publish the whole in one continued handsome volume, placing the article on Alarm-gate in its proper situation. We will endeavour to communicate with Mr. Rackett, who is a most kind friend to us on all occasions; and it shall be our study to publish the work so that it shall be agreeable to yourself. As the frontispiece is engraved, we think it a pity not to use it; but will consult Mr. Rackett on the subject. It grieves us to have so indifferent an account of your own health. "With our sincere wishes for its amendment, we are, dear Sir, your obliged humble servants, NICHOLS and SON."

March 12, 1918.

36. Mr. J. B. NICHOLS to Rev. T. RACKETT. "DEAR SIR, "Our kind old friend Mr. Chafin is about to publish a new edition of his account of Cranbourne Chase, with considerable additions; including an account of a gentleman whose portrait is in Hutchins, vol. III. under the title of a deer-hunter. Of this character we had a very neat engraving made in a reduced 8vo. size by way of frontispiece. On consulting Mr. Chafin, however, he seems not much to approve of this plate; but alludes in his letter to some kind intentions you entertained, of presenting to us some prints for the work, one of them that of deer-stealers with the swindgels, such as Mr. Chafin has described. This information has stopped our progress, as we thought to have published the second volume immediately.

"I am,

dear Sir, yours very truly, J. B. NICHOLS."

37. Mr. CHAFIN to Messrs. NICHOLS.

"DEAR SIRS, Chettle, March 22, 1818. "I should have acknowledged your last letter before, had I been able. My health is now somewhat better; and, as the weather seems to be getting more favourable, I am in hopes of getting about again. I have the very great pleasure and satisfaction of informing you that the last little publication hath answered all my ends and purposes far beyond my most ardent expectations. If the lawyers had permitted the publication of it at the proper time, there would have been no occasion for an application for a new trial, and Lord Rivers's purse would not have been emptied into that of the lawyers; but thank God my feeble endeavours have been successful, and have set the matter at rest; and I have the vanity to think that the next publication will be more beneficial to Lord Rivers's interests even than the last. As I am at this time capable of using my pen, though

badly, I will take the advantage, for fear of what may happen, to mention to you two or three things, which I wish to have added in the next publication *.

"I have not heard any thing from Mr. Rackett, but I have no doubt he will supply you with a drawing I mentioned, a group of deer-stealers with swindgels. I hope there will be no delay in the intended publication, for it would be now welltimed; and it is my earnest wish and desire that you would send the earliest impression you can to Lord Rivers; and I am faithfully yours, WM. CHAFIN."

38. Messrs. NICHOLS to Mr. CHAFIN. "DEAR SIR, March 25, 1818. "We have heard from our friend Mr. Rackett, and he has mentioned to us a sketch by Byng †, in the possession of Mr. Wray, a barrister in Chancery-lane, representing Mr. Good and a group of hunters with their swindgels, which perhaps we might obtain leave to copy. We will endeavour to procure a sight of the picture. Mr. Rackett does not mention any other embellishments.

"If you have nothing further to add, we will proceed to print the second edition immediately. We are, dear Sir,

"Your faithful humble servants,

NICHOLS and SON."

39. Mr. CHAFIN to Messrs. NICHOLS. "DEAR SIRS, Chettle, March 26, 1818. "The sketch Mr. Rackett mentions by Byng, of Mr. Good, is the self same as is exhibited in Mr. Hutchins's History of Dorset, nor is there any other. I have been as cautious as possible in not mentioning the name of Good in my long narrative of the exploits of that gentleman; nor would I have the name in print on any account. I was informed that Mr. Rackett had made a sketch of deer-stealers with swindgels, which was intended for you; but the scene was that which I described in the battle at Rushmore-lodge.

"The last sheet which I sent was written at a time when I was very ill (and I am still much indiposed); I fear it will require a great deal of revising, and I have no copy of any thing. Believe me to be

"Your faithful humble servant,

*They were inserted in the second edition.

WM. CHAFIN."

+ Byng was a friend of Sir Godfrey Kneller, and his assistant in painting back-grounds and draperies. He was much at Salisbury and in the Chase, near which in Wiltshire Sir Godfrey resided.

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