10 NIM ROD'S NORTHERN TOUR. 



of him, although, in years, he has the advantage of "the 

 Squire? 



I think it is Horace who says, that life is nothing without love 

 and jokes, and I have ever been of his opinion. " There will be 

 a very good fellow out to-morrow," said Mr. Surtees, jun., to me, 

 over night ; "Mr. Marley, our great Newcastle tailor ; I will in- 

 troduce you to him as a London gentleman who has never been 

 0ut with hounds before, and he will teach you a thing or two 

 about hunting." " Well," I replied, " as I have only a hack to 

 ride, and shall be unknown to any one else, although we must 

 recollect, that I have put it into the types, that perhaps the most 

 intuitive knowledge of fox-hunting ever yet displayed is now be- 

 ing displayed by a tailor* I can have no objection to so harm- 

 less a joke ;" and it will also appear I think that Mr. Marley 

 lias gained something by his experience. The following dia- 

 logue then took place between us in the hunting-field on this 

 day. 



Nimrod. " Well, Mr. Marley, this fox-hunting must be a 

 noble diversion to such as are able to follow it." 



Mr. Marley. " The finest in the world, sir ! the finest in the 

 world, you may depend upon it. I hunt twice a week, the season 

 through, but never two days together, unless I get an order." 



Nimrod. " But 'tis dangerous, is it not ?' ; 



Mr. Marley. " Not the least in the world that is, if you 

 Rave a good horse, and know how to ride him. I have rode this 

 liorse three seasons, twice a week with Sir Matthew, and he has 

 never given me one fall." 



Nimrod. " Will you allow me to ask you, Mr. Marley, what 

 term you fox-hunters make use of, when the dogs run the same 

 way as the wind blows ?" 



Mr. Marley. " Oh, we call that running down wind" 



Nimrod. " And what, if the dogs go t'other way ?" 



Mr. Marley. " What, against the wind ?" 



Nimrod. " Yes." 



Mr. Marley. " Oh, of course, that's up wind." 



Nimrod. " Bless me, I beg your pardon ; how stupid I am to 

 ask you such a question." 



Mr. Marley. " Oh, not at all : you are not used to these things, 

 I find." 



Nimrod. " Now what do you call riding along-side the 

 ilogs?" 



Mr. Marley. " We call that cheeking them." 



Nimrod. " And what if you ride behind them ?" 



* Of course, I allude to Hastings, the Cheltenham tailor. 



