THE MASTERS OF BADMINTON 



friends represent him to be, if his rider let them get 

 half a field ahead of him with a scent. I believe 

 only four or five of the field were able to live near 

 them in this terrible burst." 



Nimrod's visit to Badminton, or rather his "first 

 visit," to which he alludes, was made in January, 

 1838; and though he had been invited for the 

 express purpose of having some days with hounds, 

 the weather was so severe that hunting was impos- 

 sible. Under the circumstances the visitor turned 

 his attention to the home arrangements, and, as usual, 

 was ready to record any gossip that came in his way. 

 " It may be supposed," he writes, "that I made the 

 acquaintance of the pack by walking and riding with 

 them every now and then when at exercise in the 

 park ; and this much I must say — the more I saw 

 of them, the more I admired them. I cannot re- 

 frain the mention of a few sentences that passed 

 between Long and myself during my first walk 

 with him and his hounds in the park, during the 

 frost. 



"'Can you show any of the old Justice sort.'*' 

 said I to him. 



"'Why,' replied Will, 'all those Draco hounds 

 you have been noticing are of that blood.' 



" ' To be sure they are,' resumed I ; ' how slow I 

 was not to be fly to that. Draco was an Athenian 

 judge, although he dealt not much m justice' 



" • Sure, sir,' said Will. 



" ' Yes,' continued I ; ' and, like your old hound, 



III 



