224 RECORDS OF THE CHASE 



" On the Direct Northern line, within twenty miles 

 of London, the Puckeridge ; also Mr. Henley Greaves', 

 late Mr. Conyers'; further down the line Lord Fitz- 

 william's. 



Yours, &c., 



" London, June, 1853. 



"DEAR SIR, 



" You have often asked me why I keep my 

 horses in London during the winter. To explain this, 

 I must give you a sketch of my hunting career. 



66 In my twenty-eighth year I found myself obliged to 

 live in London. My property was very moderate. I 

 had no occupation; and having but little taste for 

 literary pursuits, I had great difficulty in employing 

 my time. In this position, although I was altogether 

 ignorant of riding, I purchased a horse and amused my- 

 self for some months riding in the Parks. This I tired 

 of in the winter, and thought if I knew the meets of 

 some private pack of hounds my horse would carry me. 

 I very soon found among my acquaintances a gentle- 

 man who rode in Surrey. It happened that the 

 following week the fox-hounds met at Locks Bottom ; 

 and my friend very kindly made arrangements that my 

 horse should be taken to Bromley to sleep ; and the 

 liveryman at whose stable my horse stood found me a 

 pony to get to Bromley on in the morning. The 

 following morning I therefore made my first appear- 

 ance at the covert side. I was rather late, owing to my 

 horse, just before leaving the high road, selecting the 

 dirtiest part to make a false step and throw me. For- 

 tunately we were neither of us hurt ; but I was very 

 dirty, and in this plight I presented myself at the meet, 

 where my friend was waiting alone, the houndsi having 

 been thrown into covert close by. 



" Surrey has long maintained its character for sure 

 and quick finds ; and this was no exception, for in ten 

 minutes hounds and horses were away, and I found my- 

 self in a ploughed field, galloping as fast as my horse 

 could. I got through a gate into a second field; but 

 here I was pounded. I was quite ignorant of putting 

 my horse at a fence; and he seemed equally so of 

 jumping one. After some time a gentleman returned 

 with, ' Well, it's all over. We have had a capital 



