TLbc Barl of CarM^an 249 



many years ago, which deprived him of sense and 

 motion for nearly four-and-tvventy hours. Unless very 

 much hurt, however, he was sure to show to the front 

 again, as soon as he regained the saddle. To be " soft," 

 as he called it, was a weakness of which he would have 

 been heartily ashamed in himself, and sufficiently in- 

 tolerant in another.' 



' It must not be supposed, however, that Lord Cardigan 

 was a mere riding sportsman ; on the contrary, no man 

 could be fairer with hounds, or more disposed to give 

 them every chance ; and, although he dearly loved a fine 

 run in which there were difficult fences to be crossed, 

 and much relished the emulation of competing with those 

 whom he used to class together on what he called " the 

 short list," yet he was by no means insensible to the 

 charms of a woodland run, and hunted very regularly 

 with the Pytchley and Mr Fitzwilliam's hounds, when 

 they came into his neighbourhood in the spring. It 

 was a part of his character never to sacrifice a duty to a 

 pleasure, but he found or made time to go out hunting 

 whenever a pack of foxhounds met within his reach.' 



From 1839 to 1842 Lord Cardigan kept a pack of 

 staghounds in Leicestershire, and showed good sport. But 

 he soon returned to his first love, and, for the rest of his 

 life, fox-hunting held the premier place in his affections. 

 For racing he cared but little ; betting, or, indeed, 

 gambling in every form, was distasteful to him. He 

 was an excellent shot, and his shooting parties at Deene 

 Park were looked forward to with keen delight by those 

 who were fortunate enough to be invited. As a host 

 he wa.s perfect, never weary of devising means to add 

 to the pleasure and comfort of his guests. In his 

 hospitality, at any rate, there was no taint of that self- 



