LORD MIDDLETON.— 1814. 103 



The Stratford Hunt Ball, held on Saturday the 7th of 

 December, 1813, was attended by a gay assemblage of rank 

 and fashion. Amongst them were — Lady C. Greville, 

 Lady Somerset, Hon. Mrs. Verney, Lady Clonmell, 

 Lady Elizabeth and Miss Townsend, Mrs. Mills, the 

 Marquis of Worcester, the Earl of Aylesford, Lord 

 MiDDLETON, Lord Clonmell, and Messrs. Cannings, 

 Giffards, &c. &c. Of the decorations was the appropriate 

 one — ' The Flight of Buonaparte across the Rhine.' 



BY ACT.^^ON, JUNIOR. 



MEET ALSCOT, MARCH IfiXH, 1814. 



' Wlioii the season's fine for sporting;, 



What to hunting can compare? 

 Noiicflit in life, except 'tis courting, 



Wlien v.'e press tlie yiehling fair. 

 See, tlie liounds begin to featlier. 



There's a touch by all that's good ! 

 Hark ! they're getting fast together, 



'Sow tliey thunder down the wood ! 



This day Lord Middleton"s hounds met at Alscot, 

 the seat of J. R. West, Esq. The noble Peer, on the 

 preceding evening, had given a splendid ball and supper, 

 and this morning brought out a numerous well-appointed 

 Field. We found in a small gorse cover called Gaily Oak, 

 a downright good little fox, which instantly broke away in 

 view ; the pack followed close at his brush, and dashed 

 him along the meadows by Preston Bushes, the village of 

 Admington, to the foot of Meon Hill, at their very best 

 pace. Reynard next tried the earths at the top, went 

 through Mickleton Wood, touched Hitcote Coombs, crossed 

 the Campden road, for the Burnt House, then on for Lord 

 Harrowby's, skirted Weston Park, passed near Farncombe, 

 then over the hills to the village of Saintbury, about a mile 



