[Bearbaiting in Georgian Derbyshire.] Anonymous manuscript poem titled 'The Bearbaiting', beginning: 'Whoe'er in Derbyshire has been, | And haply there a Wake has seen, | Has seen a Bear, the Croud's Delight, | Maintain with baiting Dogs the fight.'

Not published. A fair copy, neatly written out over 8pp., 4to. 175 lines, in heroic couplets. On two bifoliums of wove paper, each with hunting-horn watermark of 'G R'. A well-written production, with valuable content regarding a loathsome practice which persisted in England until 1835. For example: 'The Dogs are train'd, the Day is set, | All, all the neighbouring Clowns are met - | The Bear stalks forth, pinn'd to his tether, | Close-join'd his upper Jaw & nether: | Unchain'd, unmuzzl'd, no one knew | What his full powers provok'd might do - | His Chain the Radii, Pin the center, | He walks the ring, which none might enter; | He walks and back the Rabble flee, | Leaving the destin'd Circle free. | Now to the Center he retreats, | While every hear in Silence beats | With Wonder! [...]' To begin with 'Bruin' battles with the 'Curs', who are 'soon dispatch'd, | He'll give more Sport when better match'd. | [...] His Ear, his Snout, his Throat they seize, | He shakes them off, he lifts his paw, | But deigns not to extend a claw, - | They fall around; or crush'd they die, | Or crippled sprawl, or yelping fly. | "The Curs, the Spaniels all are gone." | Let now some nobler Dog come on.' More dogs die, until finally 'Skirnie the only hope remain'd | Skirnie to all manoeuvres train'd; | Now Skirnie to the Ring is led. | They clap his sides, they pat his head:'. To the surprise of 'the rabble', dog and bear play together instead of fighting, with Bruin playing the part of a soldier with a musket. The Parish Clerk throws a laurel wreath into the ring, and the poem ends with the inevitable classical reference.