Now and Then, 41 



stream of more or less well-mounted people flows 

 uninterruptedly up and down the ride, the Houses of 

 Lords and Commons and the liberal professions being 

 adequately represented. Now it is a group of well- 

 appointed ladies, followed at a proper distance by 

 their natty grooms, chatting together in pleasant con- 

 verse as to things in general and fashion in particular, 

 that arrests attention. Next two well-known mem- 

 bers of the Lower House, who, taking their daily 

 allowance of exercise, are evidently endeavouring to 

 solve some knotty question of the day. And a good- 

 looking and exceedingly popular M. F. H. pulls up 

 his grand stepping hack, and chats over the rails 

 with a heavy dragoon well known in Northampton- 

 shire — an exceedingly good man across country, and 

 very prominent in the charge of the 300, which takes 

 place whenever the meet of the Pytchley is fixed at 

 that popular cover, " Crick " by name. An officer of 

 the Blues in uniform adds by his presence to the 

 colouring of the picture, relieving the tedium insepar- 

 able from the arduous duties of the day by joining 

 the fashionable throng for awhile and enjoying the 

 lively society of two or three evidently agreeable 

 companions. 



Last, but not least, amongst the later arrivals is a 

 tall, well-dressed, aristocratic youth, as perfect in 

 respect to dress as Poole or Smalpage can make him, 

 mounted on a very light bay horse, with exceedingly 

 high and good action, such an animal as Sheward 

 would provide for you in consideration of some six or 

 seven hundred guineas; and as he glances around 

 the assembled equestrians, it is perfectly evident that 

 he is quite conscious of being " all there." 



