PREFACE

vii

friendship; and it is also true, that friendship is not always the sequel of obligation. I am proud to assert I do not come within this exception; and pledging myself to saying nothing that is false, rather than all that is true, I think I can produce these two results :-First, I shall unload the memory of a man I shall never be ashamed to call my friend, of several weighty imputations which now rest upon it unjustly; and secondly, I shall show, that the boldest efforts of the human imagination cannot much exceed the romance of real life.

NIMROD

Calais, 1835

PART I.

CONTENTS

Pedigree of Mr. Mytton-His original name-His
contest for the county of Salop-His ancestor
Thomas Mytton-Halston described-Extent
of Mr. Mytton's property, and its various situ-
ations-His education-Why called Mango-
Enters the army-His doings at Calais when in
the 7th Hussars-His first marriage-His sister,
her character-His person and mind described
-His pugnacious disposition-His dress-His
method of following wildfowl-His feats in
riding the road, and his walking-His powers
of digestion-His daring exploits, putting his
life to hazard-Upsets a friend in a gig-His
wonderful escapes in carriages-His indifference
to pain-Is taken for a tailor with Lord Derby's
hounds-His treatment of a Jew money-lender
-His extraordinary frolics with his chaplain,
his doctor, a bear, a horse-dealer, a filly in
training, dogs, foxes, &c. — An evening at
Halston-His contest with a ferocious dog-His
reason for selling an old family estate-His
general character-His establishment at Halston
-Amount of his expenditure-His fox-hounds,

his racing establishment, his game preserves,
his cellars, and his wardrobe-"Light come,
light go" - His gambling — Only one John
Mytton-His bill for pheasants, &c. — The
Halston Chaplain, his character, his death.

-

PART II.

With whom compared-His amours-His popularity,
and its rapid decline-His excessive drinking,
and its influence on his character and health—
His toilette-His generous conduct towards his
mother-His philanthropy carried to excess—
His talents-His last contest for the borough of
Shrewsbury - A capital electioneering squib
relating to the same-His politics-His farming
-His timber-His planting-As a sportsman—
As a horseman-His shooting-His racing-
His race-horse Euphrates-His cups-His start
and progress on the Turf - His handsome
conduct towards his jockey His second
marriage-His conduct in the marriage state-
As a husband, and a father-His autograph.

PART III.

The breaking up of his establishment at Halston—
His arrival at Calais, and his extraordinary
proceedings whilst there-Nearly loses his life
by setting fire to his shirt to frighten away the
hiccup-His mind becomes disordered by his

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sufferings—Extraordinary scenes witnessed by
his attendants-Drinks eau de Cologne-Gets
better and goes into the country with the Author
—Gets quite well, but relapses into his habits of
dissipation Is removed to England, and hence
his death warrant-Visits Halston, and thrown
into Shrewsbury jail-His conduct there, and his
former relation to the jailer-Removed to the
King's Bench-Released, and returns to Calais
with a female-His extraordinary self-intro-
duction to her Their arrival together at Calais
-His most extraordinary proceedings whilst
there-His return to England-His melancholy
death in the Bench-His funeral-His will-
Reflections on the same by the Author-His
Epitaph by ditto.

PART IV.

The Author's allusion to a second edition of Mr.
Mytton's Life-By whom some of the addi-
tional anecdotes have been furnished to him-
Mr. Mytton's extraordinary feats on horseback
-His frolics-With waggon horses-With a
bag fox-With skates-With rats on the ice-
With herons-With a badger-With foxes in
the bar of an inn at his election for the county
of Salop-With a broken-kneed horse, and an
old woman-With a flannel petticoat-With
his chaplain on his road to church-With a
horse-breaker-With a Shrewsbury tradesman
-His row at a hell-His extraordinary shooting

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