The Royal Buckhoimds. 9 1 



of horse (by his owner), and a real good animal 

 nevertheless ; JStaniforth on his favourite chesnnt ; 

 Jem Mason, the most elegant of horsemen, and 

 grandest of performers in a steeplechase ; Alan 

 M'Donough, with many besides % and echo answers, 

 "Where?" 



Where, especially, is Alfred Count D'Orsay, poet, 

 sculptor, dandy, sportsman ? Well do I remember 

 seeing him arrive at the meet at the Red Lion at 

 Southall, when the Earl of Chesterfield w^as Master 

 of the Buckhounds, in the Earl of Pembroke's chariot, 

 drawn by four magnificent horses ridden by post-boys 

 in livery, after the fashion of the good old days when 

 we were young. Then, mounted on a remarkable 

 horse, the property of Lord Pembroke, faultlessly 

 dressed, he was the cynosure of every eye. A fop 

 he might have been, but a good horseman and plea- 

 sant companion beyond all doubt. Whilst chatting 

 with him. General Grant of Hayes Park rode up, 

 mounted on a pony, the outside value of which was 

 £5, looking like a gone-to-seed gamekeeper, in his 



old brown coat and battered hat : " it, D'Orsay, 



how are you % how well you are looking, 



it " (the General was in the habit of using strong ex- 

 pletives). It was a curious meeting, cordial on both 

 sides, and I said to myself, " Sure such a pair were 

 never seen." 



But this is talking of the merry days when we 

 were young, when youth's gay fancy threw o'er life 

 its glowing hue, and has nothing to do with the 

 business of the day ; therefore I must be practical, so 

 " that listening ears may catch the sound of man 

 expectant, eager horse, and hound." Fresh from 



