[9] Meaning plenty of balls, made by Mr. Gourlay of Bruntsfield Links, a famous artist. The gentleman alluded to generally has, at least, twelve dozen.
ANOTHER PEEP AT THE LINKS.
Alter erit tum Typhys, et altera quæ vehat Argo
Dilectos heroas—erunt etiam altera bella.
Virg. Georgic.
Awake, my slumb'ring Muse, and plume thy wing,
Our former theme—the Game of Golf—to sing!
For since the subject last inspired my pen,
Ten years have glided by, or nearly ten.
Still the old hands at Golf delight to play—
Still new succeed them as they pass away;
Still ginger-beer and parliament are seen
Serv'd out by Houris to the peopled green;
And still the royal game maintains its place,
And will maintain it through each rising race.
Still Major Playfair shines, a star at Golf;
And still the Colonel—though a little off;
The former, skill'd in many a curious art,
As chemist, mechanist, can play his part,
And understands, besides the pow'r of swiping,
Electro-Talbot and Daguerreotyping.
Still Colonel Holcroft steady walks the grass,
And still his putting nothing can surpass—
And still he drives, unless the weather's rough,
Not quite so far as once, but far enough.
Still Saddell walks, superb, improved in play,
Though his blue jacket now is turn'd to grey;
Still are his balls as rife and clean as wont—
Still swears by Ammon, and still bets the blunt—
Still plays all matches—still is often beat—
And still in iced punch drowns each fresh defeat.