BIOGRAPHIES IN A NUTSHELL 165 



" What gallant run did brave Meltonians share 

 But thou wast forward or the foremost there ? " 



And no truer words were ever penned. 



It is difficult for those of us who have been edu- 

 cated under the modern conditions of fox-hunting to 

 assign to Dick Christian his proper position in hunt- 

 ing history. His position is unique, for it may be 

 safely asserted that he is the only professional rough- 

 rider, who has ever risen to eminence on account of 

 his horsemanship in the hunting field. We have had, 

 and still have, many huntsmen, whippers-in, and 

 steeplechase jockeys who are entitled to rank amongst 

 the giants of the hunting field as professional riders ; 

 but the claims of Dick Christian to be remembered 

 by posterity are founded on his prowess as a rough- 

 rider. He has had scores of imitators, but they have 

 met with little encouragement. Masters of Hounds 

 have hinted to them in an unmistakable manner that 

 their room is preferable to their company in the 

 hunting field, and the general public regard them as 

 horse copers. It may appear harsh that, owing to 

 the dishonesty of a few individuals, the calling of a 

 professional rough-rider has been abolished by the 

 verdict of public opinion ; but it must also be remem- 

 bered that now there are many gentlemen who are 

 good horsemen but carmot afford to keep horses. As 

 a rule they are younger sons who have been educated 

 in the same way as their elder brothers, and on 

 arriving at man's estate find that the estate does not 

 include stabling. But they love hunting, and are 



