22 REMINISCENCES OF 



had to couple the name of the senior member for the 

 Northern Division of this county. 



" The Right Hon. George Ward Hunt responded, 

 and said : ' When I came here to-night I did not feel 

 that I came here in the capacity of a member for the 

 county, but I came here as an admirer of the noble 

 art of which our distinguished guest is so great a 

 master. I was anxious to pay a tribute of respect 

 and gratitude to him for the sport he has given me 

 and my neighbours for so many years past. I must 

 confess I am somewhat surprised that the toast which 

 has just been given has found a place in the list this 

 evening, for we are met to do honour to our guest, 

 and celebrate the art of fox-hunting. Few persons 

 will recognise me as having met me often of late in 

 the hunting-field ; that, however, is my misfortune, 

 and not my fault, for it has been the pleasure of some 

 part of this company to send me to a distant hunting- 

 field, where I have been hunting with a very different 

 kind of pack to that of the Pytchley, and over a very 

 different sort of country. To give you an idea of 

 how different it is, I may tell you that at one of the 

 meets of the hounds — I allude to the St. Stephen's 

 pack — I have heard one of the leading sportsmen 

 describe the leading institution of Northamptonshire 

 as the " Pitchley ". The St. Stephen's country is a 

 very different country to the Pytchley, and to my 

 own feelings is not so pleasant a one. It is a stiff 

 country, and I have seen some very ugly falls ; but 

 it has some attractions which the Pytchley Hunt has 

 not. For instance, we never fail to meet. No frost 



