•JO THE ESSEX FOXHOUNDS. 



perfect amity. Ever after, when any little dispute arose, a 

 reference to the shed adventure always acted as a quietus, 

 and havincr the desirable effect of turning their strife into 

 merriment." 



From what has been said it will have been gathered 

 that "Cooky" was possibly a "man of no blandishment," 

 yet his above-quoted biographer was perfectly correct in 

 saying that he was well informed. While in France he 

 went to some expense in obtaining from Paris the exact 

 measurements of the Venus dc Medicis, afiving the ideal 

 proportions of a woman, as he was writing a book upon 

 the benefits resulting from proper configuration. With 

 the same object in view he carefully measured the skeleton 

 of Eclipse, with the intention of proving that the highest 

 rate of speed could be exhibited only by horses possessing 

 the configuration and proportions of that famous racehorse. 

 Then, finding time hang heavily on his hands, he turned 

 his attention to introducing into France the best breeds of 

 cattle and horses ; and a French writer of about thirty 

 years ago acknowledged that much of the improvement in 

 heavy and other horses was due to Col. Cook. He further 

 collected a number of facts to show the attachment of 

 Bonaparte to field sports, and he contended that " if the 

 trumpet had ceased to blow and the drum to beat he would 

 have been a decided foxhunter." 



