Text page "How to Qualify for a Meltonian". (Primary Title)
Henry Thomas Alken, English, 1785–1851 (Artist)
Printed in center: Plate I. HOW TO GO TO COVER. / Be careful, even in your ride to cover, to sit with great apparent ease and grace, however uncomfortable / the thing may be in reality. Let your horse be thorough-bred, and never ride at a less rate than sixteen miles / an hour. With regard to dress, I shall say but little, as I have given the Costume, as nearly as possible, in / the following Plates ; but I must observe, that real Meltonians either are, or affect to be, a very hardy race : / they disdain the frock coat used by their forefathers, and appear as here represented. I shall not be sur- / prised in the course of another season to see them (if they are not extinct) dressed in silk caps and jackets. / Plate II. HOW TO APPEAR AT COVER. / Be particular to have a well-qualified horse, for that is invariably the case with real Meltonians ; assume a / swing of extreme elegance, and, if you can, appear as if you had entirely forgot that you were on horseback. / An appearance of the Meltonian swing may possibly be acquired by strict attention to the qualified men.--- / Carry your whip up ; let your curb rein hang carelessly on the horse's neck ; keep the stirrup on the ball of / the foot ; and let your horse's dock be only nine inches long. Do all this, and you may be taken for a real M. /
Plate III. HOW TO RIDE DOWN HILL. / Be sure to ride down hill at top speed. However steep it may be, you must not exhibit the most distant / sign of fear. This is a very essential feature of Meltonianism, and one in which the M.s shew their excel- / lent judgment. Even here let your seat be easy and elegant: in fact, the expression of your countenance, / and your carriage altogether, should have somewhat the appearance of a tip-top Opera lounge. Be careful / to do all this, and you may be taken for a real M. Inscribed in graphite on verso: "14 / 2A " and "5".
Paul Mellon Collection
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