The Cricket Field by James Pycroft

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Title: The Cricket Field Or, the History and Science of the Game of Cricket

Author: James Pycroft

Release Date: May 7, 2016 [eBook #52022]

Language: English

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[Illustration: H. Adlard sc.

THE BOWLER.

_William Clarke. The Slow Bowler & Sec'y to the All England Eleven._

London. Longman, Brown, Green & Longmans.]


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THE CRICKET FIELD:

Or,

The History and the Science of the Game of Cricket.

by

The Author of ªThe Principles of Scientific Batting,ºªRecollections of College Days,ºetc. etc.

ªGaudet ¼ aprici gramine campi.º

ªPila velox, Molliter austerum studio fallente laborem.º--HOR.

Second Edition.

London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans 1854.

ª'Twas in the prime of summer time, An evening calm and cool, And five and twenty happy boys

Came bounding out of school. Away they sped with gamesome minds And souls untouched with sin; To a level mead they came, and there They drove the wickets in.º

HOOD.

LONDON: A. and G. A. SPOTTISWOODE, New-street-Square.

DEDICATED TO J. A. B. MARSHALL, ESQ., AND THE MEMBERS OF THE LANSDOWN CRICKET CLUB, BY ONE OF THEIR OLDEST MEMBERS AND SINCERE FRIEND, THE AUTHOR.

PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION.

This Edition is greatly improved by various additions and corrections,for which we gratefully acknowledge our obligations to the Rev. R. T.King and Mr. A. Haygarth, as also once more to Mr. A. Bass and Mr.


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Whateley of Burton. For our practical instructions on Bowling, Batting,and Fielding, the first players of the day have been consulted, each onthe point in which he respectively excelled. More discoveries have alsobeen made illustrative of the origin and early history of Cricket; andwe trust nothing is wanting to maintain the high character now accordedto the ªCricket Field,º as the Standard Authority on every part of ourNational Game.

J. P.

_May, 18. 1854._

PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION.

The following pages are devoted to the history and the science of ourNational Game. Isaac Walton has added a charm to the Rod and Line;Col. Hawker to the Dog and the Gun; and Nimrod and Harry Hieover tothe ªHunting Field:º but, the ªCricket Fieldº is to this day untroddenground. We have been long expecting to hear of some chronicler aidedand abetted by the noblemen and gentlemen of the Marylebone Club,--one

who should combine, with all the resources of a ready writer,traditionary lore and practical experience. But, time is fast thinningthe ranks of the veterans. Lord Frederick Beauclerk and the oncecelebrated player, the Hon. Henry Tufton, afterwards Earl of Thanet,have passed away; and probably Sparkes, of the Edinburgh Ground, andMr. John Goldham, hereinafter mentioned, are the only survivingplayers who have witnessed both the formation and the jubilee of theMarylebone Club--following, as it has, the fortunes of the Pavilion andof the enterprising Thomas Lord, literally through ªthree removesº andªone fire,º from White Conduit Fields to the present Lord's.

How, then, it will be asked, do _we_ presume to save from oblivion therecords of Cricket?

As regards the Antiquities of the game, our history is the result ofpatient researches in old English literature. As regards its changesand chances and the players of olden time, it fortunately happensthat, some fifteen years ago, we furnished ourselves with old Nyren'saccount of the Cricketers of his time and the Hambledon Club, and,using Bentley's Book of Matches from 1786 to 1825 to suggest questionsand test the truth of answers, we passed many an interesting hourin Hampshire and Surrey, by the peat fires of those villages whichreared the Walkers, David Harris, Beldham, Wells, and some others ofthe All England players of fifty years since. Bennett, Harry Hampton,Beldham, and Sparkes, who first taught us to play,--all men of thelast century,--have at various times contributed to our earlier

annals; while Thomas Beagley, for some days our landlord, the late Mr.Ward, and especially Mr. E. H. Budd, often our antagonist in Lansdownmatches, have respectively assisted in the first twenty years of thepresent century.

But, distinct mention must we make of one most important Chronicler,whose recollections were coextensive with the whole history of thegame in its matured and perfect form--WILLIAM FENNEX. And here wemust thank our kind friend the Rev. John Mitford, of Benhall, for hismemoranda of many a winter's evening with that fine old player,--papers


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especially valuable because Fennex's impressions were so distinct, andhis observation so correct, that, added to his practical illustrationswith bat and ball, no other man could enable us so truthfully tocompare ancient with modern times. Old Fennex, in his declining years,was hospitably appointed by Mr. Mitford to a sinecure office, createdexpressly in his honour, in the beautiful gardens of Benhall; andPilch, and Box, and Bayley, and all his old acquaintance, will not besurprised to hear that the old man would carefully water and roll hislittle cricket-ground on summer mornings, and on wet and wintry dayswould sit in the chimney-corner, dealing over and over again by thehour, to an imaginary partner, a very dark and dingy pack of cards,and would then sally forth to teach a long remembered lesson to somehob-nailed frequenter of the village ale-house.

So much for the History: but why should we venture on the Science ofthe game?

Many may be excellently qualified, and have a fund of anecdote andillustration, still not one of the many will venture on a book.Hundreds play without knowing principles; many know what they cannotexplain; and some could explain, but fear the certain labour and cost,with the most uncertain return, of authorship. For our own part, wehave felt our way. The wide circulation of our ªRecollections ofCollege Daysº and ªCourse of English Readingº promises a patient

hearing on subjects within our proper sphere; and that in this spherelies Cricket, we may without vanity presume to assert. For in Augustlast, at Mr. Dark's Repository at Lord's, our little treatise on theªPrinciples of Scientific Battingº (Slatter: Oxford, 1835) was singledout as ªthe book which contained as much on Cricket as all that hadever been written, and more besides.º That same day did we proceed toarrange with Messrs. Longman, naturally desirous to lead a secondadvance movement, as we led the first, and to break the spell which, wehad thus been assured, had for fifteen years chained down the inventionof literary cricketers at the identical point where we left off; for,not a single rule or principle has yet been published in advance ofour own; though more than one author has been kind enough to adopt(thinking, no doubt, the parents were dead) our ideas, and language too!

ªShall we ever make new books,º asks Tristram Shandy, ªas apothecariesmake new mixtures, by pouring only out of one vessel into another?º No.But so common is the failing, that actually even this illustration ofplagiarism Sterne stole from Burton!

Like solitary travellers from unknown lands, we are naturally desirousto offer some confirmation of statements, depending otherwise toomuch on our literary honour. We, happily, have received the followingfrom--we believe the oldest player of the day who can be pronounced agood player still--Mr. E. H. Budd:--

ªI return the proof-sheets of the History of my Contemporaries, and

can truly say that they do indeed remind me of old times. I find onething only to correct, which I hope you will be in time to alter, foryour accuracy will then, to the best of my belief, be wholly withoutexception:--write _twenty_ guineas, and not _twenty-five_, as the sumoffered, by old Thomas Lord, if any one should hit out of his groundwhere now is Dorset Square.

ªYou invite me to note further particulars for your second edition: theonly omission I can at present detect is this,--the name of Lord GeorgeKerr, son of the Marquis of Lothian, should be added to your list of


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the Patrons of the Old Surrey Players; for, his lordship lived in themidst of them at Farnham; and, I have often heard Beldham say, used toprovide bread and cheese and beer for as many as would come out andpractise on a summer's evening: this is too _substantial_ a supporterof the Noble Game to be forgotten.º

We must not conclude without grateful acknowledgments to somedistinguished amateurs representing the science both of the northernand the southern counties, who have kindly allowed us to compare noteson various points of play. In all of our instructions in Batting, wehave greatly benefited by the assistance, in the first instance, ofMr. A. Bass of Burton, and his friend Mr. Whateley, a gentleman whotruly understands ªPhilosophy in Sport.º Then, the Hon. Robert Grimstonjudiciously suggested some modification of our plan. We agreed withhim that, for a popular work, and one ªfor play hours,º the lighterparts should prevail over the heavier; for, with most persons, a littlescience goes a long way, and our ªwinged words,º if made too weighty,might not fly far; seeing, as said Thucydides[1], ªmen do find it sucha bore to learn any thing that gives them trouble.º For these reasonswe drew more largely on our funds of anecdote and illustration, whichhad been greatly enriched by the contributions of a highly valuedcorrespondent--Mr. E. S. E. Hartopp. When thus the science of battinghad been reduced to its fair proportions, it was happily undertaken bythe Hon. Frederick Ponsonby, not only through kindness to ourselves

personally, but also, we feel assured, because he takes a pleasure inprotecting the interests of the rising generation. By his advice, webecame more distinct in our explanations, and particularly careful ofventuring on such refinements of science as, though sound in theory,may possibly produce errors in practice.

ª_Tantæ molis erat CRICETANUM condere CAMPUM._º

For our artist we have one word to say: not indeed for the engravingsin our frontispiece,--these having received unqualified approbation;but, we allude to the illustrations of attitudes. In vain did ourartist assure us that a foreshortened position would defy every attemptat ease, energy, or elegance; we felt bound to insist on sacrificing

the effect of the picture to its utility as an illustration. Ourprincipal design is to show the position of the feet and bat withregard to the wicket, and how every hit, with one exception, the Cut,is made by no other change of attitude than results from the movementof the left foot alone.

J. P.

_Barnstaple, April 15th, 1851._

[1] B. i. c. 20.

CONTENTS.

Page CHAP. I. Origin of the Game of Cricket 1


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CHAP. II. The general Character of Cricket 16

CHAP. III. The Hambledon Club and the Old Players 40

CHAP. IV. Cricket generally established as a National Game by the End of the last Century 56

CHAP. V. The First Twenty Years of the present Century 82

CHAP. VI. A dark Chapter in the History of Cricket 99

CHAP. VII. The Science and Art of Batting 110

CHAP. VIII. Hints against Slow Bowling 176

CHAP. IX. Bowling.--An Hour with ªOld Clarkeº 187

CHAP. X. Hints on Fielding 204

CHAP. XI. Chapter of Accidents.--Miscellaneous 234

[Illustration: H. Adlard sc.

THE BATSMAN.

_Fuller Pilch._

London: Longman, Brown, Green & Longmans.]

THE CRICKET FIELD.

CHAPTER I.

ORIGIN OF THE GAME OF CRICKET.

The Game of Cricket, in some rude form, is undoubtedly as old as thethirteenth century. But whether at that early date Cricket was the nameit generally bore is quite another question. For Club-Ball we believeto be the name which usually stood for Cricket in the thirteenthcentury; though, at the same time, we have some curious evidence that


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the term Cricket at that early period was also known. But the identityof the game with that now in use is the chief point; the name is ofsecondary consideration. Games commonly change their names, as everyschool-boy knows, and bear different appellations in different places.

Nevertheless, all previous writers acquiescing quietly in the opinionof Strutt, expressed in his ªSports and Pastimes,º not only forgetthat Cricket may be older than its name, but erroneously supposethat the name of Cricket occurs in no author in the English languageof an earlier date than Thomas D'Urfey, who, in his ªPills to purgeMelancholy,º writes thus:--

ªHerr was the prettiest fellow At foot-ball and at _Cricket_; At hunting chase or nimble race _How featly_ Herr could prick it.º

The words ªHow featlyº Strutt properly writes in place of a revoltingold-fashioned oath in the original.

Strutt, therefore, in these lines quotes the word Cricket as firstoccurring in 1710.

About the same date Pope wrote,--

ªThe Judge to dance his brother Sergeants call, The Senators at _Cricket_ urge the ball.º

And Duncome, curious to observe, laying the scene of a match nearCanterbury, wrote,--

ªAn ill-timed _Cricket Match_ there did At Bishops-bourne befal.º

Soame Jenyns, also, early in the same century, wrote in lines thatshowed that cricket was very much of a ªsportingº amusement:--

ªEngland, when once of peace and wealth possessed, Began to think frugality a jest; So grew polite: hence all her well-bred heirs Gamesters and jockeys turned, and _cricket_-players.º

Ep. I. b. ii., _init._

However, we are happy to say that even among comparatively modernauthors we have beaten Strutt in his researches by twenty-five years;for Edward Phillips, John Milton's nephew, in his ªMysteries of Loveand Eloquenceº (8vo. 1685), writes thus:--

ªWill you not, when you have me, throw stocks at my head and

cry, `Would my eyes had been beaten out of my head with a _cricket-ball_ the day before I saw thee?'º

We shall presently show the word Cricket, in Richelet, as early as theyear 1680.

A late author has very sensibly remarked that Cricket could not havebeen popular in the days of Elizabeth, or we should expect to findallusions to that game, as to tennis, foot-ball, and other sports, inthe early poets; but Shakspeare and the dramatists who followed, he


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observes, are silent on the subject.

As to the silence of the early poets and dramatists on the game ofcricket--and no one conversant with English literature would expectto find it except in some casual allusion or illustration in an oldplay--this silence we can confirm on the best authority. What if wepresumed to advance that the early dramatists, one and all, ignorethe very name of cricket. How bold a negative! So rare are certain oldplays that a hundred pounds have been paid by the Duke of Devonshirefor a single copy of a few loose and soiled leaves; and shall wepretend to have dived among such hidden stores? We are so fortunate asto be favoured with the assistance of the Rev. John Mitford and ourloving cousin John Payne Collier, two English scholars, most deeplyversed in early literature, and no bad judges of cricket; and sincethese two scholars have never met with any mention of cricket in theearly dramatists, nor in any author earlier than 1685, there is,indeed, much reason to believe that ªCricketº is a word that does notoccur in any English author before the year 1685.

But though it occurs not in any English author, is it found in no raremanuscript yet unpublished? We shall see.

Now as regards the silence of the early poets, a game like cricketmight certainly exist without falling in with the allusions or topics

of poetical writers. Still, if we actually find distinct catalogues andenumerations of English games before the date of 1685, and Cricket isomitted, the suspicion that Cricket was not then the popular name ofone of the many games of ball (not that the game itself was positivelyunknown) is strongly confirmed.

Six such catalogues are preserved; one in the ªAnatomy of Melancholy,ºa second in a well-known treatise of James I., and a third in theªCotswold Games,º with three others.

I. For the first catalogue, Strutt reminds us of the set of rules fromthe hand of James I. for the ªnurture and conduct of an heir-apparentto the throne,º addressed to his eldest son, Henry Prince of Wales,

called the BASILIKON ΔΩRON, or a ª

inge's Christian Dutie towards God.ºHerein the king forbids gaming and rough play: ª s to diceing, thinkit becometh best deboshed souldiers to play on the heads of theirdrums. s to the foote-ball, it is meeter for laming, than making able,the users thereof.º ut a special commendation is given to certaingames of ball; ªplaying at the catch or tennis, palle-malle, and _suchlike other_ fair and pleasant _field-games_.º Certainly cricket mayhave been included under the last general expression, though by nomeans a fashionable game in James's reign.

. For the second catalogue of games, urton in his ª

natomy ofMelancholy,º ªthe only book,º said Dr. Johnson, ªthat ever took me outof bed two hours sooner than

wished to rise,º--gives a view of the

sports most prevalent in the seventeenth century. Here we have a veryfull enumeration: it specifies the pastimes of ªgreat men,º and thoseof ªbase inferior persons;º it mentions ªthe rocks on which men losethemselvesº by gambling; how ªwealth runs away with their hounds, andtheir fortunes fly away with their hawks.º Then follow ªthe sights andshows of the

ondoners,º and the ªMay-games and recreations of thecountry-folk.º More minutely still, urton speaks of ªrope dancers,cockfights,º and other sports common both to town and country; still,though urton is so exact as to specify all ªwinter recreationsºseparately, and mentions even ªfoot-balls and ballowns,º saying ª

et


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the common people play at ball and barley-brakes,º there is in all thiscatalogue no mention whatever of Cricket.

. s a third catalogue, we have the ªCotswold Games,º but cricket isnot among them. This was an annual celebration which one Captain Dover,by express permission and command of James

., held on the CotswoldHills, in Gloucestershire.

V. Fourthly: cricket is not mentioned in ªThe compleat Gamester,ºpublished by Charles rowne, in 1709.

V. ª have many editions of Chamberlayne's ` tate of England,'º kindlywrites Mr. T. . Macaulay, ªpublished between 1670 and 1700, and

observe he never mentions cricket among the national games, of which hegives a long list.º

V

. The great John

ocke wrote in 1679, ªThe sports of England fora curious stranger to see, are horse-racing, hawking, hunting, and

owling: at Marebone and Putney he may see several persons of qualitybowling two or three times a week: also, wrestling in incoln's nnFields every evening; bear and bull-baiting at the bear garden;shooting with the long bow, and stob-ball, in Tothill Fields; andcudgel playing in the country, and hurling in Cornwall.º Here again wehave no Cricket. tob-ball is a different game.

evertheless we have a catalogue of games of about 1700, in

tow'sª urvey of ondon,º and there Cricket is mentioned; but, remarkablyenough, it is particularised as one of the amusements of ªthe lowerclasses.º The whole passage is curious:--

ªThe modern sports of the citizens, _besides drinking_(!), arecock-fighting, bowling upon greens, backgammon, cards, dice, billiards,also musical entertainments, dancing, masks, balls, stage-plays, andclub-meetings in the evening; they sometimes ride out on horseback, andhunt with the lord mayor's pack of dogs, when the common hunt goes on.The _lower classes_ divert themselves at foot-ball, wrestling, cudgels,nine-pins, shovel-board, _cricket_, stow-ball, ringing of bells,

quoits, pitching the bar, bull and bear baitings, throwing at cocks,and lying at ale-houses.º(!)

The lawyers have a rule that to specify one thing is to ignore theother; and this rule of evidence can never be more applicable thanwhere a sport is omitted from six distinct catalogues; therefore,the conclusion that Cricket was unknown when those lists were madewould indeed appear utterly irresistible, only--_audi semper alterampartem_--in this case the argument would prove too much; for it wouldequally prove that Club-ball and Trap-ball were undiscovered too,whereas both these games are confessedly as old as the thirteenthcentury!

The conclusion of all this is, that the oft-repeated assertions thatCricket is a game no older than the eighteenth century is erroneous:for, first, the thing itself may be much older than its name; and,secondly, the ªsilence of antiquityº is no conclusive evidence thateven the name of Cricket was really unknown.

Thus do we refute those who assert a negative as to the antiquity ofcricket: and now for our affirmative; and we are prepared to show--

First, that a single-wicket game was played as early as the thirteenth


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century, under the name of Club-ball.

econdly, that it might have been identical with a sport of the samedate called ªHandyn and Handoute.º

Thirdly, that a genuine double-wicket game was played in

cotlandabout 1700, under the name of ªCat and Dog.º

Fourthly, that ªCreag,º--very near ªCricce,º the

axon term forthe crooked stick, or bandy, which we see in the old pictures ofcricket,--was the name of a game played in the year 1300.

First, as to a single-wicket game in the thirteenth century, whateverthe name of the said game might have been, we are quite satisfied withthe following proof:--

ª

n the odleian

ibrary at xford,º says

trutt, ªis a M

. ( o. 264.)dated 1344, which represents a figure, a female, in the act of bowlinga ball (of the size of a modern cricket-ball) to a man who elevatesa straight bat to strike it; behind the bowler are several figures,male and female, waiting to stop or catch the ball, their attitudesgrotesquely eager for a `chance.' The game is called Club-ball, but thescore is made by hitting and running, as in cricket.º

econdly,

arrington, in his ª

emarks on the More

ncient

tatutes,ºcomments on 17 Edw.

V.

.D. 1477, thus:--

ªThe disciplined soldiers were not only guilty of pilfering on theirreturn, but also of the vice of gaming. The third chapter thereforeforbids playing at cloish, ragle, half-bowle, quekeborde, _handyn andhandoute_. Whosoever shall permit these games to be played in theirhouse or yard is punishable with three years' imprisonment; those whoplay at any of the said games are to be fined 10_l._, or lie in jailtwo years.º

ªThis,º says arrington, ªis the most severe law ever made in anycountry against gaming; and, some of those forbidden seem to have

been manly exercises, particularly the ªhandyn and handoute,º which

should suppose to be a kind of _cricket_, as the term _hands_ is still(writing in 1740) retained in that game.º

Thirdly, as to the double-wicket game, Dr. Jamieson, in his Dictionary,published in 1722, gives the following account of a game played in

ngus and

othian:--

ªThis is a game for three players at least, who are furnished withclubs. They cut out two holes, each about a foot in diameter and seveninches in depth, and twenty-six feet apart; one man guards each holewith his club; these clubs are called Dogs. piece of wood, about fourinches long and one inch in diameter, called a Cat, is pitched, by a

third person, from one hole towards the player at the other, who is toprevent the cat from getting into the hole.

f it pitches in the hole,the party who threw it takes his turn with the club. f the cat bestruck, the club-bearers change places, and each change of place countsone to the score, _like club-ball_.º

The last observation shows that in the game of Club-ballabove-mentioned, the score was made by ªruns,º as in cricket.

n what respect, then, do these games differ from cricket as played


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now? The only exception that can be taken is to the absence of anywicket. ut every one familiar with a paper given by Mr. Ward, andpublished in ª ld yren,º by the talented Mr. C. Cowden Clarke, willremember that the traditionary ªblockholeº was a veritable hole informer times, and that the batsman was made ut in running, not, asnow, by putting down a wicket, but by popping the ball into the holebefore the bat was grounded in it. The same paper represents that thewicket was two feet wide,--a width which is only rendered credibleby the fact that the said hole was not like our mark for guard, fourfeet distant from the stumps, but cut like a basin in the turf betweenthe stumps; an arrangement which would require space for the frequentstruggle of the batsman and wicket-keeper, as to whether the bat of theone, or the hand of the other, should reach the blockhole first.

The conclusion of all is, that Cricket is identical with Club-ball,--agame played in the thirteenth century as single-wicket, and played, ifnot then, somewhat later as a double-wicket game; that where balls werescarce, a Cat, or bit of wood, as seen in many a village, supplied itsplace; also that ªhandyn and handouteº was probably only another name.Fosbroke, in his Dictionary of ntiquities, said, ªclub-ball was theancestor of cricket:º he might have said, ªclub-ball was the old namefor cricket, the games being the same.º

The points of difference are not greater than every cricketer can show

between the game as now played and that of the last century.

ut, lastly, as to the name of Cricket. The bat, which is now straight,is represented in old pictures as crooked, and ªcricceº is the simple axon word for a crooked stick. The derivation of illiards from the orman _billart_, a cue, or from _ball-yard_, according to Johnson,also ine-pins and Trap-ball, are obvious instances of games whichderived their names from the implements with which they are played. owit appears highly probable that the crooked stick used in the game of

andy might have been gradually adopted, especially when a wicket to bebowled down by a rolling ball superseded the blockhole to be pitchedinto.

n that case the club having given way to the bandy or crookedbat of the last century, the game, which first was named from the club

ªclub-ball,º might afterwards have been named from the bandy or crookedstick ªcricket.º

dd to which, the game might have been played in two ways,--sometimesmore in the form of Club-ball, sometimes more like Cricket; and thefollowing remarkable passage proves that a term very similar to Cricketwas applied to some game as far back as the thirteenth century, theidentical date to which we have traced that form of cricket calledclub-ball and the game of handyn and handoute.

From the Gentleman's Magazine, vol. lviii. p. 1.,

.D. 1788, we extractthe following:--

ª

n the wardrobe account of the 28th year of

ing Edward the First,

.D. 1300, published in 1787 by the

ociety of

ntiquaries, among theentries of money paid one Mr. John eek, his chaplain, for the use ofhis son Prince Edward in playing at different games, is the following:--

ª`Domino Johanni de

eek, capellano Domini Edwardi fil' ad _Creag'_ etalios ludos per vices, per manus proprias, 100 s. pud Westm. 10 die

prilis, 1305.'º

The writer observes, that the glossaries have been searched in vain


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for any other name of a pastime but cricket to which the term Creag'can apply.

nd why should it not be Cricket? for, we have a singularevidence that, at the same date, Merlin the Magician was a cricketer!

n the romance of ªMerlin,º a book in very old French, written aboutthe time of Edward

., is the following:--

ªTwo of his (Vortiger's) emissaries fell in with certain children whowere playing at _cricket_.º--Quoted in Dunlop's ªHistory of Fiction.º

The word here rendered _cricket_ is _la crosse_; and in ichelet'sDict. of nt. 1680, are these words:

ª_Crosse_, à Crosier. âton de bois courbé par le bout d'en haut, donton se sert pour jouer ou pousser quelque balle.º

ª_Crosseur_, qui pousse--`_Cricketer_.'º

Creag' and Cricket, therefore, being presumed identical, the cricketersof Warwick and of Gloucester may be reminded that they are playingthe same game as was played by the dauntless enemy of obert ruce,afterwards the prisoner at enilworth, and eventually the victim ofMortimer's ruffians in the dark tragedy of erkeley Castle.

To advert to a former observation that cricket was originally confinedto the lower orders, obert

outhey notes, C. P. ook. iv. 201., thatcricket was not deemed a game for gentlemen in the middle of the lastcentury. Tracing this allusion to ªThe Connoisseur,º o. 132. dated1756, we are introduced to one Mr. Toby umper, whose vulgarities are,ªdrinking purl in the morning, eating black-puddings at artholomewFair, boxing with uckhorse,º and also that ªhe is frequently engagedat the rtillery Ground with Faukner and Dingate _at cricket_, andis esteemed as good a bat as either of the ennets.º Dingate will bementioned as an

ll-England player in our third chapter.

nd here we must observe that at the very date that a cricket-groundwas thought as low as a modern skittle-alley, we read that even

ª ome Dukes at Mary'bone _bowled_ time away;º

and also that a Duchess of Devonshire could be actually watching theplay of her guests in the skittle-alley till nine o'clock in theevening.

ur game in later times, we know, has constituted the pastime anddiscipline of many an English soldier. ur barracks are now providedwith cricket grounds; every regiment and every man-of-war has its club;and our soldiers and sailors astonish the natives of every clime, bothinland and maritime, with a specimen of a ritish game: and it deservesto be better known that it was at a cricket match that ªsome of our

officers were amusing themselves on the 12th June, 1815,º says CaptainGordon, ªin company with that devoted cricketer the Duke of ichmond,when the Duke of Wellington arrived, and shortly after came the Princeof range, which of course put a stop to our game. Though the heroof the Peninsula was not apt to let his movements be known, on thisoccasion he made no secret that, if he were attacked from the south,Halle would be his position, and, if on the amur side, W TE .º


13/112

CH

P

.

THE GE E CH CTE F C C ET.

The game of cricket, philosophically considered, is a standingpanegyric on the English character: none but an orderly and sensiblerace of people would so amuse themselves.

t calls into requisitionall the cardinal virtues, some moralist would say.

s with the Greciangames of old, the player must be sober and temperate. Patience,fortitude, and self-denial, the various bumps of order, obedience,and good-humour, with an unruffled temper, are indispensable. Forintellectual virtues we want judgment, decision, and the organ ofconcentrativeness--every faculty in the free use of all its limbs--andevery idea in constant air and exercise. Poor, rickety, and stuntedwits will never serve: the widest shoulders are of little use withouta head upon them: the cricketer wants wits down to his fingers' ends.

s to physical qualifications, we require not only the volatile spiritsof the rishman _ ampant_, nor the phlegmatic caution of the cotchman _Couchant_, but we want the English combination of the two; though,with good generalship, cricket is a game for ritons generally: thethree nations would mix not better in a regiment than in an eleven;especially if the Hibernian were trained in ondon, and taught to enjoy

something better than what Father Prout terms his supreme felicity,ª tium cum dig-_gin-taties_.º

t was from the southern and south-eastern counties of England that thegame of Cricket spread--not a little owing to the Propaganda of themetropolitan clubs, which played chiefly first at the

rtillery Ground,then at White Conduit Fields, and thirdly at Thomas ord's Grounds, (ofwhich there were two before the present ª ord's,º) as well as latterlyat the val, ennington, and on all sides of ondon--through all thesouthern half of England; and during these last twenty years thenorthern counties, and even Edinburgh, have sent forth distinguishedplayers. ut considering that the complement of the game is twenty-twomen, besides two Umpires and two corers; and considering also that

cricket, unlike every other manly contest, by flood or field, occupiescommonly more than one day; the railways, as might be expected, havetended wonderfully to the diffusion of cricket,--giving rise to clubsdepending on a circle of some thirty or forty miles, as also to thatclub in particular under the canonised saint, John Zingari, into whomare supposed to have migrated all the erratic spirits of the gipsytribe. The Zingari are a race of ubiquitous cricketers, exclusivelygentlemen-players; for cricket affords to a race of professionals amerry and abundant, though rather a laborious livelihood, from thetime the first May-fly is up to the time the first pheasant is down. either must we forget the

ll England and United Elevens, who,under the generalship of Clarke or Wisden, play numbers varying fromfourteen to twenty-two in almost every county in England.

o proud

are provincial clubs of this honour that, besides a subscription ofsome 70_l._, and part or all of the money at the field-gate beingwillingly accorded for their services, much hospitality is exercisedwherever they go. This tends to a healthy circulation of the life'sblood of cricket, vaccinating and inoculating every wondering rusticwith the principles of the national game. ur soldiers, we said, byorder of the Horse Guards, are provided with cricket-grounds adjoiningtheir barracks; and all of her Majesty's ships have bats and balls toastonish the cockroaches at sea, and the crabs and turtles ashore.Hence it has come to pass that, wherever her Majesty's servants have


14/112

ªcarried their victorious armsº and legs, wind and weather permitting,cricket has been played.

till the game is essentially

nglo-

axon.Foreigners have rarely, very rarely, imitated us. The English settlersand residents everywhere play; but of no single cricket club have weever heard dieted either with frogs, sour crout, or macaroni. ut howremarkable that cricket is not naturalised in

reland! the fact isvery striking that it follows the course rather of ale than whiskey.Witness ent, the land of hops, and the annual antagonists of ª llEngland.º

econdly, Farnham, which, as we shall presently show, withits adjoining parishes, nurtured the finest of the old players, aswell as the finest hops,--_cunabula Trojæ_, the infant school ofcricketers. Witness also the urton Clubs, assisted by our excellentfriend next akin to bitter ale. Witness again

lton ale, on which old eagley throve so well, and the

cotch ale of Edinburgh, on whichJohn

parkes, though commencing with the last generation, has carriedon his instructions, in which we ourselves once rejoiced, into themiddle of the present century. The mountain mists and ªmountain dewºsuit better with deer-stalking than with cricket: our game disdainsthe Dutch courage of ardent spirits. The brain must glow with ature'sfire, and not depend upon a spirit lamp. _Mens sana in corpore sano_:feed the body, but do not cloud the mind. You, sir, with the hecticflush, the fire of your eyes burnt low in their sockets, with beak assharp as a woodcock's from living upon suction, with pallid face andshaky hand,--our game disdains such ghostlike votaries. ise with the

lark and scent the morning air, and drink from the bubbling rill, andthen, when your veins are no longer fevered with alcohol, nor puffedwith tobacco smoke,--when you have rectified your illicit spiritsand clarified your unsettled judgment,--ªcome again and devour up mydiscourse.º nd you, sir, with the figure of Falstaff and the noseof ardolph,--not Christianly eating that you may live, but livingthat you may eat,--one of the _nati consumere fruges_, the devouringcaterpillar and grub of human kind--our noble game has no sympathy withgluttony, still less with the habitual ªdiner out,º on whom outragednature has taken vengeance, by emblazoning what was his face (_nimiumne crede colori_), encasing each limb in fat, and condemning him tobe his own porter to the end of his days. ªThen

am your man--and --and ,º cry a crowd of self-satisfied youths: ªsound are we in wind

and limb, and none have quicker hand or eye.º Gently, my friends, sofar well; good hands and eyes are instruments indispensable, but onlyinstruments. There is a wide difference between a good workman and abag of tools, however sharp. We must have heads as well as hands. Youmay be big enough and strong enough, but the question is whether, asVirgil says,

ª_ piritus intus alit, totamque infusa per artus_ _Mens agitat molem, et magno se corpore miscet._º

nd, in these lines, Virgil truly describes the right sort of man fora cricketer: plenty of life in him: not barely soul enough, as obert

outh said, to keep his body from putrefaction; but, however large his

stature, though he weigh twenty stone, like (we will not say Mr. Mynn),but an olden wicket-keeper, named urt, or a certain _infant_ genius inthe same line, of good Cambridge town,--he must, like these worthiesaforesaid, have nouV i perfecti , a d be i sti ct with se se all

ver. The , says

irgil, _ig e

s est llis vig r_: ªthey m

st alwayshave the steam

p,º therwise the bard w

ld have agreed with

s, theyare

g

d i

a

Eleve

, beca

se--

ª_N xia c rp ra tarda t,_ _Terre iq

e hebeta t art

s, m rib

daq

e membra;_º


15/112

that is, y

m

st s

spe

d the laws

f gravitati

bef

re they ca

stir,--d

ll cl ds f the valley, a d s ma y st e f carri ; a dthe

irgil pr ceeds t describe what discipli e will re der th se,wh s

ffer the pe alties f idle ess r i tempera ce, fit t j i thech

se

_few_ i

the cricket-field:

ª_Exi

de per ampl

m_ _Mittim

r Elysi

m et pa

ci læta arva te em

s._º

Of c

rse _Elysi

m_ mea s ªL rds,º a d _læta arva_, ªthe sh ti gfields.º We make

ap

l

gy f

r classical q

tati

s. At theU iversities, cricket a d sch larship very ge erally g t gether.Whe

, i

1836, we played vict

ri

sly

the side

f Oxf

rd agai

stCambridge, seve

t f

r eleve were classme ; a d, it is d

btless

ly t

av

id a

i

vidi

s disti

cti

that ªHeads _v._ Heels,º as was ce s

ggested, has failed t be a a

al U iversity match; th

gh the _seri st

di

r

m_--th

se p

t t

sch

l late--w

ld

t have a cha

ce. Weextract the f ll wi g:--

ªI a late C v cati h lde at Oxf rd, May 30, 1851, it was agreed t

affix the U

iversity seal t

a p

wer

f att

r

ey a

th risi g the sale f 2000_l._ three per ce t. c s ls, f r the p

rp

se

f payi

g f

r a

d e

cl

si

g certai

all

tme

ts

f

la

d i

C

wley C

mm

,

sed as cricket gr

ds by members

f the U

iversity, i

rder t

their bei

g preserved f

r that p

rp se, a d let t the several U iversity cricket cl

bs i s

ch ma

er as may hereafter appear expedie

t.º

Fr

m all this we arg

e that,

the a

th

rity

f a

cie

t a

d theexperie ce f m der times, cricket wa ts mi d as well as matter,a

d, i

every se

se

f the w

rd, a g

d

dersta

di

g. H

w is it thatClarke's sl w b wli g is s s

ccessf

l? ask Bayley r Caldec

rt; rsay Bayley's

w

b

wli

g,

r that

f Lillywhite,

r

thers

t m

chi debted t pace. ªY

see, sir, they b wl with their heads.º The

ly is the game w

rthy the

tice

f f

ll-gr

w

me

. ªA r

bber

fwhist,º says the a

th r f the ªDiary f a late Physicia ,º i his ªLaw

St

dies,º ªcalls i

t

req

isiti

all th

se p

wers

f mi

d that abarrister m st eeds;º a d early as m

ch may be said f a scie tificgame

f cricket. Mark that first-rate b

wler: the batsma

is ha

keri

gf

r his fav

rite c

t--

--leg st

mp is attacked agai

--extra ma

leg side--right--that's the sp t--leg st

mp, a d t t ear him.He is screwed

p, a d ca t c

t away; P i t has it--persevere--tryagai --his patie ce s will fail. Ah! l k at that ball;--the bat wasm

re

t

f the perpe

dic

lar--

w the b

wler alters his pace--g

d. Adr ppi g ball-- ver-reached a d all b

t a mistake;-- w a sl wer pacestill, with extra twist--hits f

ri

sly t leg, t s . Leg-st

mp isgrazed, a d bail ff. ªY

see, sir,º says the vetera , t

r i g r

d,ªa

ld player, wh

k

ws what is, a

d what is

t,

the ball, al

eca resist all the temptati s that leg-balls i v lve. Y

g players

are g

i

g their r

d

f experime

ts, a

d are t

f

d

f admirati

a d brillia t hits; whereas it is y

r

pright straight players thatw

rry a b

wler--twe

ty-tw

i

ches

f w

d, by f

r a

d a q

arter--everyi ch f them bef re the st

mps, hitti g r bl cki g, is ratherdishearte i g; b

t the m me t a ma makes ready f r a leg hit, lyab

t five i ches by f

r f w d ca c ver the wicket; s leg-hitti gis the b

wler's cha

ce: c

tti

g als

f

r a similar reas

. If therewere s

ch thi g as leg-hitti g, we sh

ld see a f

ll bat every time,the ma steady his legs, a d ly e thi g t thi k f; a d what atask a b wler w

ld have. That was Mr. Ward's play--g d f r s methi g


16/112

t the last. First-rate straight play a d free leg-hitti g seld m lastl

g t

gether: whe

ce ex

lti

g i

the l

x

ri

s exciteme

t

f a legv lley, the m

scles are always the q

iver t swipe r

d, a d theb wler sees the bat raised m re a d m re acr ss wicket. S , als , it iswith me wh are year i g f r a c

t: f rmi g f r the c

t, like f rmi gf

r leg-hit--aye, a

d alm

st the idea

f th

se hits c

mi

g acr

ss themi d--set the m

scles ff straight play, a d give the b wler a cha ce.There is a deal

f head-w

rk i

b

wli

g:

ce make y

r batsma

set hismi d e hit, a d give him a ball req

iri g the c trary, a d he is

ff his g

ard i

a m

me

t.º

Certai

ly, there is s

methi

g highly i

tellect

al i

r

ble a

d ati al pastime. B

t the cricketer m

st p ssess ther q

alificati s;

t

ly physical a

d i

tellect

al, b

t m

ral q

alificati

s als

.Of what avail is the head t pla a d ha d t exec

te, if a s

lkytemper paralyses exerti

, a

d thr

ws a damp

p

the field;

r ifimpatie ce dethr es j

dgme t, a d the ma hits acr ss at g d balls,beca

se l

se balls are l

g i

c

mi

g;

r, agai

, if a c

te

ti

s a

dimperi

s disp siti leaves the cricketer all `al e i his gl ry,'v

ted the pest

f every eleve

?

The pest

f the h

ti

g-field is the ma

always thi

ki

g

f his

w

h rse a d w ridi g, gall pi g agai st MEN a d t after HOUNDS.The pest

f the cricket-field is the ma

wh

b

res y

ab

t his

average--his wickets--his catches; a

d l

ks bl

e eve

at the s

ccess

f his

w

party. If

s

ccessf

l i

batti

g

r fieldi

g, he gives

p all--ªthe wretch c ce tred all i self.º N ! Give me the ma wh f

rgets himself i

the game, a

d, missi

g a ball, d

es

t st

p t

exc

lpate himself by d

mb sh w, b

t rattles away after it--wh d es

t blame his part

er whe

he is r

t--wh

plays like play a

d t like a pai f

l perati . S

ch a chilly, bleak, rthwest aspects

me me

d

p

t

--it is abs

rd t

say they are e

j

yi

g themselves.We all k w it is tryi g t be

t first ball. ªOh! that first l kback at rattli

g st

mps--why, I c

ld

't have had right g

ard!º--thatc victi that the ball t

r ed, r b

t f r s me

acc

tables

spe

si

f the laws

f m

ti

(the earth perhaps c

mi

g t

ahitch

p its

greased axis) it had t happe ed! The there's the

sp

ili

g

f y

r average, (th

gh s

me begi

agai

a

d reck

a

ew!)a d a sad c sci

s ess that every critic i the three tiers f thePavili

, as he c

lly spec

lates ª_q

is c

iq

e d

l

r vict

, q

ægl

ria palmæ_,º k

ws y

r m

rtificati

. Oh! that sad walk back, aªret

r ed c vict;º we m

st all pace it, ª_calca da semel via leti_.ºA ma is s

re ever t take his eyes ff the gr

d, a d if there'sa bit f stick i the way he kicks it i sti ctively with the side fhis sh

e. Add, that cr

el _p

st m

rtem_ exami

ati

i

t

y

r ªcase,ºa d havi g t a swer the ld q

esti , H w was it? r perhaps f rcedt arg

e with s me vexati

s fell w wh imp

tes it t the very fa

lt which y

are s s re a d se sitive. All this is tryi g; b

t si ceit is always happe

i

g, a

ªi

separable accide

tº

f the game, it istime that a

r

ffled temper sh

ld be held the ªdiffere tiaº f the

tr

e cricketer a

d bad temper v

ted bad play. Eleve

g

d-temperedme , ther p i ts eq

al, w

ld beat eleve s

lky r eleve irritablege

tleme

t

f the field. The h

rli

g

f bats a

d a

gry eb

lliti

ssh w i experie ce i the game a d its cha ces; as if a y ma i E gla dc

ld always catch, r st p, r sc re. This very

certai ty gives thegame its i terest. If Pilch r Parr were s

re f r

s, wh w

ld caret

play? B

t as they make s

metimes five a

d s

metimes fifty, we stillc te d with flesh a d bl d. Eve Achilles was v

l erable at the heel; r, myth l gically, he c

ld t st p a sh ter t the leg st

mp. S ever let the Sata icage cy f the gami g-table br d th se ªhappy


17/112

fieldsº where, _stre

a s exercet i ertia_, there is a e ergy i

r idle h

rs,

t killi

g time b

t e

j

yi

g it. L

k at g

d h

estJames Dea ; his ªpatie t meritº ever ªg es O

t sighi gº r I ,either-- ever i a m

mbli g, th

gh a ªmelti g m d.º Perspirati mayr ll ff him, like b

bbles fr m a d

ck's back, b

t it's all d w t theday's w

rk. He l

ks, as every cricketer sh

ld l

k, like a ma

tf r a h liday, sh

t

p i ªmeas

reless c te t.º It is delightf

l t see s

ch a ma

make a sc

re.

Add t

all this, persevera

ce a

d self-de

ial, a

d a s

l ab

vevai -gl ry a d the appla

se f the v

lgar. Aye, persevera ce i well-d

i

g--persevera

ce i

a straightf

rward,

pright, a

d c

siste

tc

rse f acti .--See that player practisi g apart fr m the rest. Whata

prete

di

g style

f play--a h

dred p

ds appear t

depe

d

every ball-- t a hit f r these five mi

tes--see, he has a shilli g his st

mps, a

d Hillyer is d

i

g his best t

k

ck it

ff. A q

esti

asked after every ball, the b wler bei g c sta tly i vited t remi dhim

f the least i

acc

racy i

hitti

g

r da

ger i

defe

ce. The ther players are hitti g all ver the field, maki g every e (b

ta g

d j

dge) marvel. O

r frie

d's reward is that i

the first g

dmatch, whe s me s

pp sed brillia t Mr. Dashw d has bee st

mped fr mleg ball--(he ca

t make his fi

e hits i

his gr

d)--b

wled by ash ter r ca

ght by that sharpest f all P i ts Ἄnax ἄndrwn, the ou

pe

seve

i

g f

ie

--b

ll

fte

b

ll

oppi

g h

mless f

om his b

t,

till eve

o

si

gle o

ouble

e s

fely pl

ye

y--h

st

o figu

es

ppe

e

to his

me;

he is g

eete

i

the P

vilio

sh

vi g tu

e

the ch

ces of the g

me i f

vou

of his si

e.

Co ceit i

c

ickete

,

s i othe

thi gs, is

b

to

llimp

oveme t--the v

i -glo

ious is

l

ys thi ki g of the looke

s-o ,i ste

of the g

me,

ge e

lly is co

em e

to live o the eput tio of o e skyi g leg-hit, o some t e ty u s off th ee o fou ove

s (his me

iest life is

sho

t o e) fo

h

lf

se

so .

I o e o

, the

e is o g

me i hich

mi

bility

u

uffle

tempe

is so esse ti

l to success, o

i hich vi

tue is

e

e

,h

lf

s much

s i the g

me of c

icket. Disho est o

shuffli g

ys

c

ot p

ospe

; the umpi

es

ill foil eve

y such

ttempt--those t

ulyco stitutio

l ju

ges, bou

by

co

e of

itte l

s--

thepublic opi io of

c

icket club, milit

tes

g

i st his p

efe

me t.Fo

c

icket is

soci

l g

me. Coul

c

ickete

pl

y

solo, o

ith

ummy (othe

th

the c

t

pult), he might pl

y i humou

o

out ofhumou

; but

Eleve is of the

tu

e of those commo e

lths of hichCice

o s

i

th

t, ithout some

eg

to the c

i

l vi

tues, theycoul

ot possibly hol

togethe

.

Such

tio

l g

me

s c

icket ill both hum

ise

h

mo ise thepeople. It te

ches

love of o

e

,

iscipli e,

f

i

pl

y fo

the pu

e ho

ou

glo

y of victo

y. The c

ickete

is

membe

of

i

e f

te

ity: if he is the best m

i his club,

th

t club is

the best club i

the cou

ty, he h

s the s

tisf

ctio

of k

o

i

g hishigh positio ,

m

y

spi

e to

ep

ese t some l

ge

po e

fulco

stitue

cy

t Lo

's. Ho

spi

it-sti

i

g

e the g

the

i

gs of

iv

lcou ties! A

I e vy ot the he

t th

t glo s ot ith

elight

teliciti g the symp

thies of e

ulti g thous

s, he

ll the cou t

y isth

o gi g to its b

ttle-fiel

stu

e

ith fl

gs

te ts. Its ve

ylook m

kes the he

t be

t fo

the fo

tu

e of the pl

y;

fo

miles

ou

the ol

co

chm

ves his hip

bove his he

ith

i

ofi fi ite impo

t

ce if he c

o ly be the he

l

of the joyous ti

i gs,ªWe've o the

y.º


18/112

G

mes of some ki

me

must h

ve,

it is

o sm

ll p

ise of c

icketth

t it occupies the pl

ce of less i oce t spo

ts. D

i ki g, g

mbli g,

cu

gel-pl

yi g, i se sibly

is

ppe

s you e cou

ge

m

ly

ec

e

tio hich

s the l

bou

e

f

om the

k h

u ts of vice

mise

y to the ope

commo

,

he

e

ªThe squi

e o

p

so

o' the p

ish, O

the

tto

ey,º

m

y

ise him, ithout lo e

i g themselves, by t

ki g

i te

est,if

ot

p

t, i

his spo

ts. ªN

tu

e

bho

s

v

cuum,º especi

lly ofmi

th

me

ime t,

ese ti g the folly of those ho oul

is

i he

bou

ties by th

t i

iffe

e

ce

p

thy

hich m

k

ve

y

ullboy i

ee

. N

tu

e

esig e

us to spo

t

pl

y

t c

icket

s t

uly

s to e

t

i

k. Without spo

t you h

ve

o he

lthful e

e

cise: to

ef

esh the bo

y you must

el

the mi

. Obse

ve the p

le

yspepticstu

e

t

umi

ti

g o

his logic,

lgeb

, o

politic

l eco

omy

hile

esc

ibi g his pe

io

ic

l

evolutio s

ou

his college g

e o

o Co

stitutio

Hill: the

tu

si

e

gl

e

you

eyes

e

s

iththe buoy

t spi

its

e

ulti g e e

gies of Bulli g

o o

Lo

's. Seeho

tu

e

ebels

g

i

st ª

i

i

g,º o

milesto

e-me

su

e

lk!While follo i g up

covey, o

the i

i gs of

t

out-st

e

m, e c

ossfiel

fte

fiel

u

co

scious of f

tigue,

et

i

so ple

si

g

ecollectio

of the toil, th

t ye

s

fte

,

mi

st the

i

hum ofme

,

e b

ighte

t the thought,

ye

s

i

the poet

e

t

othous

ye

s

go, i the o

s,--

ª_O

us, qu

o te

spici

m, qu

oque licebit,_ _Duce

e sollicitæ jucu

oblivi

vitæ._º

Th t i tellige t espo sible bei g shoul live o ly fo

museme t, is

e

o

i

ee

,

o e hich b

i gs its o pu ishme ti th

t si ki g of the he

t he the cup is

i e

to the

egs,

ple

su

es ce

se to ple

se.

ª_Nec lusisse pu

et se

o i ci

e

e lu

um._º

Still fiel

-spo

ts, i thei

p

ope

se

so ,

e N

tu

e's ki

p

ovisio to smooth the f

o f

om the b

o , to

ll

y ªlife's fitful feve

,º to--

ªR

ze out the

itte t

oubles of the b

i , A

by some s eet oblivious

ti

ote Cle

se the stuffe

bosom f

om th

t pe

ilous stuff, Which

eighs upo

the he

t.º

A

o

s

e these, ot

hit too st

o g fo

those ho live l

bo

ious

ys, i this high-p

essu

e ge e

tio . A

, ho

oes ot feel his

ily bu

the

lighte

e

,

hile e

joyi

g, _p

to

um viv

volupt

s_, thejoyous spi

its

goo

fello ship of the c

icket-fiel

, those su y

hou

s

he

ªthe v

lleys l

ugh

si

g,º

, bet

ee

the g

ee

s

be e

th

the blue sky

bove, you he

hum of h

ppy my

i

se

joyi

g thei

b

ief sp

too!

Who c

esc

ibe th

t tumult of the b

e

st,

esc

ibe

by Æschylus,

----nearὸV μuelὸV stέrnwn ἐntὸV ἀnάsswn--

ho

y

i

g

gi

hich fi

d i

hi

po

h

i

g

i

x

ci

!


19/112

Ho

g

o

d

oci

i

o

joym

! Ev

y h

ppy mom

,--

h

b

i

p

i

gi

g f

om

h

b

,

h

h

p c

ch

o

di

g i

h

p

m,

o g

ch o

dd

p

i g

d q

ick

,

h

x

i g

h

o , o

b

i

d

ick

f

yi

g,--

h

joy

h

c

d by

ymp

hy,p

y

f

c

d f

om

ch o

h

'

y

. I

h

c

ick

-fi

d,

by

h

cov

'

id

,

h

po

i

i

h

f

d op

i

d

igh

ofh

v

. No i

co

g

i

y of

o

d

co

i

io

i

f

. No

mi

d

h

o

h

, ho

ª

m

yº

o

v

,

ho

d ªp

b

ix

h

i

d

d hi

obi

i

y.º O

commo

i

m

k

commo

f

i

g,f

i

g h

i

h h

,

h

i

g

h

f

o

o

k of

iq

,

d

g

h

i

g

ho

i

k

i

hich bi

d m

o m

.

Soci

y h

i

k

d c

. Th

di

i

c

io

b

i

v

o b

o

ifici

, b

,

v

h

v

y co

d

of

h

h i

f. Li

h

,

ic

y g

d

d, o

d

i

d

o

p

,

h

B

c

,

h

opic

of

obi

i

y

d

ff

c

, f

om

h

mp

zo

of

comfo

b

i

d

p

d

c

,

d

h

A

c

ic ci

c

of pov

y: b

h

i

o

h

m

k

d, b

c

o

h

d,

h

i

h

c

ick

-fi

d. Th

c

iv

fo

hi

h

p

c

d

c

of bi

h,--

ªCo

d

i

h

h

k

h

m

i

giv

.º

A

d m

y

h

mb

pi

i

, f

om

hi

mpo

y p

f

m

,

i

g

h

p

of

p

io

i

y

d

-

d

pp

, c

i

h

m

ho

m

io

i

o hi

d

i

y d

i

. Th

c

ick

-fi

d

gg

v

io

of

h

o

d

ª_Æq

_ _P

p

i

c

di

_ _R

g

mq

p

i

._º

ªA f

i

g

d

o f

vo

.º K

ym

di

d

i

o

co

d

oy

,

o

fi

c

o

h

f

i

. Th

co

g

mp

o

hi

d

o

d;

cho

d

o b

h

i

m

;

d

o

c

ch o

ho

f

h

ho

oof

_c

ch o

_

h

m. Wi

i

m B

dh

m

m

y ho

i

h

d

y ª

good

m

º

v

Lo

d F

d

ick B

c

k;

d

h

g

D

k

ofRichmo

d

o

d d

c

d f

om hi

high

o co

h

p

m ofm

y p

o

i

h hi

h

mb

y,

o f

ck

o

dgi

g

i

hRob

B

,--

ªTh

k i

b

h

g

i

mp. Th

m

'

h

go

d fo

'

h

.º

C

ick

fo

m

o d

b

i

g h

bi

:

ik

h

b

-figh

of Sp

i

,

d

h

i

po

of E g

d, i

i

i

d

o

h

of

f

i g

of

fi

d

g

. No

ivi

g c

ff

fo

o

po

:

o f

og

o

mi

o

imp

d, o

o

m

i

hi

g

po

fi

h-hook

,--

o h

c

mi

gb

fo

h

ho

d

,--

o

o

d

d p

idg

co

i

g i

i

go

y, h

h

im

gi

io

o q

ify o

p

.

C

ick

i

i

hi

h

ch of

v

g

po

. A good h

d

i

comp

fo

h

d

d h

. I

i

o mo

opo

y fo

gif

d f

,

o

oo

p

d. I

ffo

d

cop

fo

g

div

i

yof

. Bo

i

g, fi

di

g,

ick

-k

pi

g, f

hi

i

g,

f

dj

dicio

p

y,

d good g

hip--i

o

of

h

poi

m

y

m

h

d

m

,

ho

gh i

f

io

i

h

. Th

good b

m

d

h

b

of fi

d

mo g

-

igh

d m

,

d h

d hi

mo g

k

d c

ipp

d m

; i

igh

,

i

o

h

p

ov

d

o

oo

i


20/112

fo

fi

-

,

o

igh

o

oo m

ch;

d,

o

g

, M

. W

d

ix

y, M

. E. H. B

dd

ix

y-fiv

,

d o

d Joh

Sm

v

yy

of

g

,

f

m

i

good

v

.

C

ick

i

g

m

v

i

b

o poo

ich; i

h

op

ivi

g

d c

. U

ik

hoo

i

g, h

i

g, o

y

ch

i

g,

h

i

o

v

o

k,

ic

c

o b

y,

o

co

y

b

i

hm

o

ppo

:

h

g

m

i

f

d commo

h

igh

d

i

i

hich i

i

p

y

d,--

h

poo

m

'

po

io

:

i

h

h

poo

c

i

o

igi

d,p

y

d ª

f

ho

º o

vi

g

g

,

d

h

c

p

d

op

ici

.

W

x

c

h

fo

o

i

g:--

ªTh

j

dg

of

h

B

fo

d Co

y Co

h

d

cid

d

h

c

ick

i

g

g

m

,

o

o

d

h

k

ho

d

i

b

i

c

io

fo

h

cov

y of

h

k

, i

c

h

o

of

h

p

i

h

d

f

d

o p

y.º

C

ick

i

o

o

y

g

m

of

ki

--ch

c

h

y

o

gh

o

v

h

v

q

i

h

d

_if_

d

_b

_. A

o

g i

i

g

b

p

k

good p

y;b

ªo

h

fi

b

º i

o di

g

c

. A g

m

,

o b

y

g

m

,

y p

yf

,

ho

d

dmi

of ch

c

ki

. I

i

h

b

of ch

h

i

ch

c

i

oo

v

--

o

o

i

g

m

i

o

o

yo

ch

c

;

d mo

p

i

f

of

,

o b

o

i

d i

f

i

d

d

i

b

co

of

o

g-h

d

d

,

c

, m

ú

v

i

g,

d commo

--q

i

i

i

hich

o m

ik

o com

off

co

d b

. H

c

h

igh

d

fo

givi

g

of mi

d

h

of

fo

o

ch

ckm

. H

c

h

ª

go

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g

d di

ppoi

m

f

om

hich,º

id Syd

y Smi

h, ª

h

Bi

hop of ---- b

ok

my h

d

i

h

ch

-bo

dfif

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go

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g

.º

B

did

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h

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m

d

om

h

v

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h

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gfi

d, k

o

y

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ick

oo? No

of

;

ho

gh I co

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v

m

io

d

o,--

h

if

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gh

of

h

Wi

i

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d,

h

o

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,

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d

yo

--

h

d

gh

p

ci

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h

fo

d

h

f

i

i

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v

y p

y

Lo

d'

. I

ccomp

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hom

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bod

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Co

gh

T

c

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of

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m

m

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ific

c

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M

mb

fo

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Ci

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h

B

k Di

c

o

,

d

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g

R

i

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ch

;

d I

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gh

of hi

m

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i

h

o

c

o

f

hio

b

B

oom

b

y Sq

,

h

b

q

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g

oom of hich m

y

Wyk

h

mi

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c

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m

mb

; fo

h

f

m

d,

h

Wyk

h

mi

, fo

h

q

ick

d b

of fi

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g,

h

yh

d

o

h

i

m

ch

Lo

d'

(

d

y y

i

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h

y

y

o

), M

. W

d

o

d b

y

i

mph

y

h

i

o

d

h

d

y i

h him. B

,

ki g of

h

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,

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Wi

,

ho

viv

d ov

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d bo

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g,

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i

Documents

The Cricket Field by James Pycroft