62 THE CONDITION OF HUNTERS 



hundred and fifty guineas for a horse called " Hermit" ; 

 but soon after he purchased him he was obHged to go 

 into Leicestershire — not to hunt, but for the purpose 

 of having the advice and assistance of the famous 

 Doctor Chesher, for an injury of his spine, occasioned, 

 it was supposed, by riding a hard-pulling horse. Being 

 obliged to remain under his care for the space of two 

 years, he took a house, and amused himself in the 

 winter with his greyhounds, of which he had some of 

 the best in England, as they proved themselves by their 

 running at Newmarket and other places. During this 

 time Hermit was kept in lavender. He had an excel- 

 lent loose box, and his condition went on the same as 

 if he had been constantly hunted. In the summer he 

 was physicked, soiled, fed with carrots, and ridden 

 quietly about, with every now and then a gentle 

 sweat. In the winter he was regularly sweated, ridden 

 with the greyhounds, and had some good brushing 

 gallops ; by which means, and being in the hands of 

 an excellent groom, his condition was as perfect as it 

 was possible to make it. He looked big, and rather 

 full of flesh ; but it was that sort of flesh which in- 

 creased rather than diminished his strength. 



It is true that Hermit was a particularly fine fencer, 

 and, if I may be allowed to apply such an epithet to 

 a horse, he was an elegant goer in all his paces ; but 

 when well clapped to over a country, he had not the 

 reputation of being a stout horse. It might be said 

 of him, as was said of another horse by a celebrated 

 sporting character who wanted to account for his 

 not turning out to be quite so brilliant a hunter as 



