set the horses "Going, going,"
It's nearly time they should be gone themselves.

VII.

The nation quite in Hampton Court rejoices,
What! sell its stud of steeds beyond all praise!
_Nay_, shout the people with indignant voices,
And the stud echoes with a hundred _neighs_.

VIII.

Then sell them not, dear lady, I implore ye;
Of tears 'twill set your people shedding floods;--
I tell ye what will make 'em all adore ye,--
Kick out your ministers and keep your bloods!

But Hood must have laboured under a misapprehension, for the horses were
the private property of the late King, and his executors had no option
but to sell them. It was said that William IV. in his lifetime wished
the country to take the stud over, at a valuation, and, after his death,
it was offered to Queen Victoria for 16,000 pounds. The sale took place
on Oct. 25, and there were 80 lots, which did not fetch particularly high
prices, the highest being "The Colonel," who was bought, after winning
the St. Leger, by George IV. for 4,000 guineas; but the horse broke down
after running a dead heat at Ascot in 1831. He only realised 1,150
guineas, and was bought by the auctioneer, Mr. Tattersall. The next
highest price given was for "Actaeon," which fetched 920 guineas. The
total proceeds of the sale was 15,692 guineas.

In October a great change was made in the matter of marriage, which had,
hitherto, been a purely ecclesiastical affair, but by the 6 & 7 Gul. iv.,
cap. 85, Registrars of births and deaths were empowered to marry couples,
and it became a purely civil contract. This Act was to have come into
force on the first day of March; but a subsequent Act postponed it to the
last day of June, and it really only became effective in October. It
surprised people by its simplicity, and the gist of the Act is in Section
xx.: "And be it enacted, That after the expiration of the said Period of
Twenty-one Days or of Seven Days, if the Marriage is by Licence,
Marriages may be solemnized in the registered Building stated as
aforesaid in the notice of such Marriage, between and by the Parties
described in the Notice and Certificate, according to such form and
ceremony as they may see fit to adopt: Provided nevertheless, that every
such Marriage shall be solemnized with open doors, between the Hours of
Eight and Twelve in the Forenoon,