To his Dyery he annexed an "Imperial Leather Legging Warehouse and Shepherd's Life Protector, and Renovating Mart." T o puff the n e w branch the services of the poetaster were secured, and the issue was half a column of bombastic epic doggerel in this strain :— " Halt, gallants, halt ! and let reason persuade you That comfort and beauty are excellent things— With beautiful truth as an angel to guide you, Pray read what the muse in her truthfulness sings. First—Howe's I M P E R I A L S claim your attention— Their beauty and comfort are n o w so well known, Napoleon L e Grand—it is proper to mention— Invented them on an Imperial throne. In peace or in war, or whenever he mounted, His equipments were suited for comfort and e a s e H e wore his Imperials happily appointed— Complete Leather Leggings right over his knees. Their texture and colour and polish surpasses T h e blackest and brightest that Warren can s h o w — Though you rode fifty leagues over rivers and marshes, Take them off, you're as clean as a drawing-room beau. For sportsmen w h o dash through scrub and through water, A n d recklessly ride over creeks and ravines, W h e n the g a m e is a-foot—and no object a matter, Imperials—Imperials, just suit for such scenes."
Brighton, originally known as Waterville, a more appropriate appellation than its successor, must have been in 1846 a somewhat different locality from what it is in 1888, as judged by the following notification of its then first and only innkeeper:— BRIGHTON HOTEL. TM. CROSBIE, in returning his grateful thanks to the gentry of Port Phillip for the liberal patronage which he • has received since he has opened the above Hotel, takes this opportunity to inform those families that have hitherto patronised him, that he has made extensive improvements in his establishment by an additional number of bedrooms, and other alterations, which will ensure the comfort of those parties w h o m a y honour him with a visit. T. M . C. also begs to inform his visitors that his cellar is always stocked with wines and spirits of the very best description, which he will dispose of at the Melbourne prices. T h e use of the bathing-house will be given gratis to parties staying at the Hotel. N . B . — T h e Omnibus will commence running three times a week, viz., Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, till further notice, leaving the Brighton Hotel at half-past 8 a m , and the Prince of Wales Hotel at half-past 4 p.m.
The locomotive requirements of the early Brightonians must have been of a rather limited character, when a tri-weekly 'bus, making an up and down trip every second day, Sunday excluded, sufficed. About the same time a fact deemed of m u c h interest to agriculturists was publicly notified by M r . John Harlin, Glenvale Farm, Upper Plenty, w h o proclaims the purchase of the well-known" Threshing Machine called the " Challenger," of 5-horse power, and his readiness to execute any orders for threshing grain in his neighbourhood, on very reasonable terms. H e engages that his machine will not break or injure the grain or straw, also thresh clean. T o any m e m b e r of the bachelor tribe in quest of a wife, the following advertisement, extracted from a newspaper of August, 1849, is recommended as a model upon which to frame any public appeal he m a y wish to m a k e to the fair sex. Though its insertion will cost more than the specified shilling, its probable success will far outweigh the extra outlay :— MATRIMONY. WANTED A YOUNG LADY WILLING TO STATE PARTICULARS.
of
" A gentleman in comfortable circumstances, of respectable connexions, but of reserved manners, is desirous engaging with a. young lady possessing some personal charms, and belonging to a family of real worth—as a
