226 msTOEY OF the eoyal buckhounds and ascot eaces. 



ordinary cost of the "Queen's stable for divers services and 

 provisions for divers horses within the same time " amounted 

 to about 105^. per annum. It is therefore evident that the 

 usual followers of the Royal Buckhounds enjoyed good runs 

 during the reign of Queen Anne : and although the Uterary 

 remains of those times contain no details of the sport — the 

 newspapers were muzzled on this and other current topics — 

 a great contemporary poet tells us in " undying verse " that 

 the fields were large and the pace a cracker : — 



" Now Cancer glows with Phoebus' fiery car : 

 The youth rush eager to the sylvan war, 

 Swarm o'er the lawns, the forest walks surround, 

 Rouse the fleet hart, and cheer the opening hound. 

 Th' impatient courser pants in ev'ry vein. 

 And pawing, seems to beat the distant plain. 

 Hills, vales, and floods appear already crossed, 

 And ere he starts, a thousand steps are lost. 

 See the bold youth strain up the threat'ning steep, 

 Rush through the thickets, down the valleys sweep, 

 Hang o'er their coursers' heads with eager speed, 

 And earth rolls back beneath the flying steed. 

 Let old Arcadia boast her ample plain, 

 Th' immortal huntress, and her virgin-train ; 

 Nor envy, Windsor ! since thy shades have seen 

 As bright a goddess, and as chaste a queen ; 

 Whose care, like hers, protects the sylvan reign. 

 The earth's fair light, and empress of the main." 



Windsor Forest. 



Hunting predominated in every part of the kingdom. The 

 example set by the Royal pack found emulation in all quarters ; 

 hounds were ridden to by all classes, from lords and ladies of 

 high degree to the sturdy yeoman farmer. 



The celebrated Lady Mary Wortley Montague refers to the 

 people with whom she came in contact in Wiltshire as being 

 " insensible to other pleasures than hunting and drinking," 

 adding that their mornings were spent among hounds and 

 their nights '^ with what liquor they can get in this country, 

 which is not very famous for good drink." Her ladyship did 

 not follow hounds at the time, although she became very 

 partial to the chase in the ensuing reign. In another of her 



