189-t] OTHER LETTERS. 273 



the privilege of enjoying Lord Willougliby's coutideuce, I am iu a position to 

 give a Hat contradiction to everyone of the statements of tliis anonymous 

 critic. North, 



16, Arlington-street. S.W., July i^Htli. 



Sir, — I had no intention of putting my tiiiger iu the pretty little pie 

 ■created by Jack Horner of " Thirty Seasons." The Peterborough Hoimd 

 Show can, as already affirmed, take care of itself; so can Lord Willoughby 

 de Broke. But the Warwicksliire is a county pack — raised to its present 

 pre-eminence by a master liand. to wliom the hunting qualities of a foxhound 

 are a first desideratum. It has been my privilege for some years to rido to 

 and watch these hounds — as closely as discretion and his lordsliip might 

 allow. I have also studied their breeding carefully during tlio last fifteen 

 years; and I deny utterly the right of "'Thirty Seasons" to cast any such 

 silly aspersions upon them, by way of illustrating his views upon the one 

 hound show of the day. I recall several occasions on which better men 

 than myself have Ijeen guided by ear alone in keeping touch with these 

 grand f oxliounds, over the strong Warwickshire country ; and if Mr. Horner's 

 ears were really roixnded thirty years ago, is it not possible that, finding 

 himself growing slow, he has developed a vice that entitles him to drafting 

 at any cost ? I may be flinging my own tongue too loudly when I venture 

 to add that. lia\nng hunted, at home and abroad, some few packs of hounds as 

 distinct from Peterborough type as Anarchists are from Archangels, 1 know 

 only one more irreclaimable form of sinner than a silent hound. And that is 

 a babbler. 



And yet, but for this reckless and inexcusable riot upon Warwickshire, I 

 coiild almost envy " Thirty Seasons " as he laughs in his anonymous corner, 

 plum in hand and tliumb to nose, " Oh what a good boy am I ! " 



Brooksby. 



Sir. — Tour correspondents Avho take the adverse side to the Peterboroiigh 

 Show, evidently do not understand what riding to hounds means. Li the 

 Shires we do not ride to the cry of the hounds, but to the sight of them. The 

 chief pleasure of riding to liounds is keeping them in view, and turning with 

 the leading hounds in order, by taking the line of the base of the triangle, to 

 gain an advantage. But although you liave not time to hear much nn\sie, 

 perhaps, when tliese liounds (which, there is no doiibt, are bred for pace as 

 well as cry) are running best jiace on a breast high scent, let tlie same 

 hounds be followed in working out a colder line, or nxuniug througli wood- 

 lands, and there is plenty of cry. If the Warwickshire Hounds were taken 

 down to Devonshire or Wales, or into the woodlands of Nottiughamshiro, I 

 will guarantee that they would " make the oaks ring again." I remember Ave 

 found a fox at Debdale a few years ago. and they ran him by Birdingbury, 

 through Prankton Wood and several other Avoods, to ground in the main 

 earth of Waverley Wood. I had to leave to catch a train. Lord Willougliby 

 said to me a feAv days afterAvards : "' Yoii shoiild haA-e stopped out ; it Avas a 

 treat to hear the dog hounds run through tlie l)ig Avoods." 



RUSTICUS EXPECTANS. 



Vol. II. ' r 



