PERSONALITIES 



The joys that life's best hours prolong, 

 Are those of hunting. 



Hunting from London ^> <::> 



AND now appear, dim at first and distant, but 

 brightening and nearing fast, many a right 

 good fellow, and many a right good horse. I know 

 three out of four of them, their private histories and 

 the private histories of their horses, and could tell 

 you many a good story of them, but shall not, 

 being an English gentleman, and not an American 

 litterateur. They may not all be very clever, or 

 very learned, or very anything except gallant men ; 

 but they are all good enough company for mc, or 

 any one ; and each has his own specialite^ for which 

 I like him. That huntsman I have known for 

 fifteen years, and sat many an hour beside his 

 father's death-bed. I am godfather to that whip's 

 child. I have seen the servants of the hunt, as I 

 have the hounds, grow up round me for two 

 generations, and I feel for them as old friends, and 

 like to look into their brave, honest, weather-beaten 

 faces. That red-coat there, I knew him when he 

 was a schoolboy ; and now he is a captain in the 

 Guards, and won his Victoria Cross at Inkerman ; 

 that bright green coat is the best farmer, as well as 

 the hardest rider, for many a mile round ; one who 

 plays, as he works, with all his might, and might 

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