The Portraiture of Little Driver

Dateca. 1760

Publisher Henry Roberts (active 1730 - 1790)

After work by James Roberts (ca. 1725 - 1799)

OriginEngland, London

MediumEtching and line engraving

DimensionsOverall: 8 1/2 × 5 1/4in. (21.6 × 13.3cm)

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1961-268

DescriptionUpper right corner: "32"
Lower margin reads: "THE PORTRAITURE OF LITTLE DRIVER/ The Property of M.r Josiah Marshal./ This excellent horse is allowed to be the strongest & best of his size that ever was bred/ in this Kingdom he was got by Mr. Beavers Great Driver Son of Old Snake out of/ Twhates Dun Mare, she was got by the Yorkshire Deaster Turk, which was sire of/ Old Chanter & several others; Little Driver's Dam was bred by his Grace the Duke/ of Devonshire and got by his Flying Childers out of that famous Mare call'd Cabbage Arse Daughter of Grantham./ See Childers Pedigree beneath his Portraiture./ Little Driver 1748 when 5 years old won 50.£ at Ipswich & 50.£ at Leicester 1749 when/ 6 years old won50.£ at Ascot Heath 50.£ at Alesbury, and the Town Plate at Newmarket,/ 1750 when 7 years old he won 50.£ at Guildford, 50.£ at Reading 50L at Stockbridge, 50.£ at/ Burford, 50.£ at Chipping Norton, 50.£ at Newmarket weight for height, and the Town Plate/ weight 12.st at Newmarket, 1751 when 8 years old he won 50.£ at Epsom, 50.£ at Winchester,/ he receiv'd 20 Guineas at Guildford, for his not starting & the Premium at Ascot Heath/ there being no Horse enterd against him, he won 50.£ at Hounslow, & 50.£ at Reading,/ 1752 when 9 years old he received forfeit of M.r Grevits Swiftsure at Newmarket &/ won 50.£ at Epsom, 50.£ at Winchester 50.£ at Blandford, 50£ at Ascot Heath, and 50.£/ at Burford, 1753 when 10 years old he receivd forfeit of Mr Paontons Slipby, & won 50.£ at Epfom, 50.£ at Litchfield, and 50.£ at Warwick, 1754 when 11 years old he won 50.£ at/ Rumford, 50.£ at Reading, 50.£ at Maidenhead, and 50.£ at Malden, 1755 when 12/ years old he won 50.£ at Guilford, 50£ at Hull, 50.£ at Durham and 50.£ at Maidenhead."
Label TextThe print comes from a collection of forty engravings after the work of James Roberts and engraved by Henry Roberts entitled "The Sportsman's Pocket Companion" published around 1760. Though the horses were drawn by James Roberts, they were likely after other paintings and prints of famous racehorses. The majority of the horses represented in the prints raced between 1708-1755. The collection was originally bound, but the title page stated that "This Work is Contrived that it may be Framed & Glazed in various Sizes, & will make most elegant & pleasing Furniture."

Verse reads:
This excellent horse is allowed to be the strongest & best of his size that ever was bred in this Kingdom he was got by Mr. Beavers Great Driver Son of Old Snake out of
Twhates Dun Mare, she was got by the Yorkshire Deaster Turk, which was sire of
Old Chanter & several others; Little Driver's Dam was bred by his Grace the Duke
of Devonshire and got by his Flying Childers out of that famous Mare call'd Cabbage Arse Daughter of Grantham.
See Childers Pedigree beneath his Portraiture.
Little Driver 1748 when 5 years old won 50.£ at Ipswich & 50.£ at Leicester 1749 when
6 years old won 50.£ at Ascot Heath 50.£ at Alesbury, and the Town Plate at Newmarket,
1750 when 7 years old he won 50.£ at Guildford, 50.£ at Reading 50.£ at Stockbridge, 50.£ at
Burford, 50.£ at Chipping Norton, 50.£ at Newmarket weight for height, and the Town Plate
weight 12.st at Newmarket, 1751 when 8 years old he won 50.£ at Epsom, 50.£ at Winchester,
he receiv'd 20 Guineas at Guildford, for his not starting & the Premium at Ascot Heath
there being no Horse enterd against him, he won 50.£ at Hounslow, & 50.£ at Reading,
1752 when 9 years old he received forfeit of M.r Grevits Swiftsure at Newmarket &
won 50.£ at Epsom, 50.£ at Winchester 50.£ at Blandford, 50£ at Ascot Heath, and 50.£ at Burford, 1753 when 10 years old he receivd forfeit of Mr Paontons Slipby, & won 50.£ at Epfom, 50.£ at Litchfield, and 50.£ at Warwick, 1754 when 11 years old he won 50.£ at
Rumford, 50.£ at Reading, 50.£ at Maidenhead, and 50.£ at Malden, 1755 when 12
years old he won 50.£ at Guilford, 50£ at Hull, 50.£ at Durham and 50.£ at Maidenhead.
MarkingsPlate #32