The following pages are devoted to the history and the science of our
National 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 to
the “Hunting Field:” but, the “Cricket Field” is to this day untrodden
ground. We have been long expecting to hear of some chronicler aided
and 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 thinning
the ranks of the veterans. Lord Frederick Beauclerk and the once
celebrated player, the Hon. Henry Tufton, afterwards Earl of Thanet,
have passed away; and probably Sparkes, of the Edinburgh Ground, and
Mr. John Goldham, hereinafter mentioned, are the only surviving
players who have witnessed both the formation and the jubilee of the
Marylebone Club--following, as it has, the fortunes of the Pavilion and
of the enterprising Thomas Lord, literally through “three removes” and
“one fire,” from White Conduit Fields to the present Lord’s.
How, then, it will be asked, do _we_ presume to save from oblivion the
records of Cricket?
As regards the Antiquities of the game, our history is the result of
patient researches in old English literature. As regards its changes
and chances and the players of olden time, it fortunately happens
that, some fifteen years ago, we furnished ourselves with old Nyren’s
account of the Cricketers of his time and the Hambledon Club, and,
using Bentley’s Book of Matches from 1786 to 1825 to suggest questions
and test the truth of answers, we passed many an interesting hour
in Hampshire and Surrey, by the peat fires of those villages which
reared the Walkers, David Harris, Beldham, Wells, and some others of
the All England players of fifty years since. Bennett, Harry Hampton,
Beldham, and Sparkes, who first taught us to play,--all men of the
last 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 Lansdown
matches, have respectively assisted in the first twenty years of the
present century.
But, distinct mention must we make of one most important Chronicler,
whose recollections were coextensive with the whole history of the
game in its matured and perfect form--WILLIAM FENNEX. And here we
must thank our kind friend the Rev. John Mitford, of Benhall, for his
memoranda of many a winter’s evening with that fine old player,--papers
especially valuable because Fennex’s impressions were so distinct, and
his observation so correct, that, added to his practical illustrations
with bat and ball, no other man could enable us so truthfully to
compare ancient with modern times. Old Fennex, in his declining years,
was hospitably appointed by Mr. Mitford to a sinecure office, created
expressly in his honour, in the beautiful gardens of Benhall; and
Pilch, and Box, and Bayley, and all his old acquaintance, will not be
surprised to hear that the old man would carefully water and roll his
little cricket-ground on summer mornings, and on wet and wintry days
would sit in the chimney-corner, dealing over and over again by the
hour, to an imaginary partner, a very dark and dingy pack of cards,
and would then sally forth to teach a long remembered lesson to some
hob-nailed frequenter of the village ale-house.
So much for the History: but why should we venture on the Science of
the game?
Many may be excellently qualified, and have a fund of anecdote and
illustration, still not one of the many will venture on a book.
Hundreds play without knowing principles; many know what they cannot
explain; and some could explain, but fear the certain labour and cost,
with the most uncertain return, of authorship. For our own part, we
have felt our way. The wide circulation of our “Recollections of
College Days” and “Course of English Reading” promises a patient
hearing on subjects within our proper sphere; and that in this sphere
lies Cricket, we may without vanity presume to assert. For in August
last, at Mr. Dark’s Repository at Lord’s, our little treatise on the
“Principles of Scientific Batting” (Slatter: Oxford, 1835) was singled
out as “the book which contained as much on Cricket as all that had
ever been written, and more besides.” That same day did we proceed to
arrange with Messrs. Longman, naturally desirous to lead a second
advance movement, as we led the first, and to break the spell which, we
had thus been assured, had for fifteen years chained down the invention
of literary cricketers at the identical point where we left off; for,
not a single rule or principle has yet been published in advance of
our own; though more than one author has been kind enough to adopt
(thinking, no doubt, the parents were dead) our ideas, and language too!
“Shall we ever make new books,” asks Tristram Shandy, “as apothecaries
make new mixtures, by pouring only out of one vessel into another?” No.
But so common is the failing, that actually even this illustration of
plagiarism Sterne stole from Burton!
Like solitary travellers from unknown lands, we are naturally desirous
to offer some confirmation of statements, depending otherwise too
much on our literary honour. We, happily, have received the following
from--we believe the oldest player of the day who can be pronounced a
good player still--Mr. E. H. Budd:--
“I 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 one
thing only to correct, which I hope you will be in time to alter, for
your accuracy will then, to the best of my belief, be wholly without
exception:--write _twenty_ guineas, and not _twenty-five_, as the sum
offered, by old Thomas Lord, if any one should hit out of his ground
where now is Dorset Square.
“You invite me to note further particulars for your second edition: the
only omission I can at present detect is this,--the name of Lord George
Kerr, son of the Marquis of Lothian, should be added to your list of
the Patrons of the Old Surrey Players; for, his lordship lived in the
midst of them at Farnham; and, I have often heard Beldham say, used to
provide bread and cheese and beer for as many as would come out and
practise on a summer’s evening: this is too _substantial_ a supporter
of the Noble Game to be forgotten.”
We must not conclude without grateful acknowledgments to some
distinguished amateurs representing the science both of the northern
and the southern counties, who have kindly allowed us to compare notes
on various points of play. In all of our instructions in Batting, we
have greatly benefited by the assistance, in the first instance, of
Mr. A. Bass of Burton, and his friend Mr. Whateley, a gentleman who
truly understands “Philosophy in Sport.” Then, the Hon. Robert Grimston
judiciously suggested some modification of our plan. We agreed with
him that, for a popular work, and one “for play hours,” the lighter
parts should prevail over the heavier; for, with most persons, a little
science goes a long way, and our “winged words,” if made too weighty,
might not fly far; seeing, as said Thucydides[1], “men do find it such
a bore to learn any thing that gives them trouble.” For these reasons
we drew more largely on our funds of anecdote and illustration, which
had been greatly enriched by the contributions of a highly valued
correspondent--Mr. E. S. E. Hartopp. When thus the science of batting
had been reduced to its fair proportions, it was happily undertaken by
the Hon. Frederick Ponsonby, not only through kindness to ourselves
personally, but also, we feel assured, because he takes a pleasure in
protecting the interests of the rising generation. By his advice, we
became more distinct in our explanations, and particularly careful of
venturing on such refinements of science as, though sound in theory,
may possibly produce errors in practice.
“_Tantæ molis erat CRICETANUM condere CAMPUM._”
For our artist we have one word to say: not indeed for the engravings
in our frontispiece,--these having received unqualified approbation;
but, we allude to the illustrations of attitudes. In vain did our
artist assure us that a foreshortened position would defy every attempt
at ease, energy, or elegance; we felt bound to insist on sacrificing
the effect of the picture to its utility as an illustration. Our
principal design is to show the position of the feet and bat with
regard to the wicket, and how every hit, with one exception, the Cut,
is made by no other change of attitude than results from the movement
of the left foot alone.