134 NIMROUS NORTHERN. TOUR. 



to talk to a pack of fox-hounds in the field, he was very unfit to 

 address a body of gentlemen in a dinner-room. " But what 

 should you have done," said Mr. Campbell, " if the chairman 

 had proposed your health ?" " Why sir," replied Williamson, 

 " taken up my hat, and run out of the room at once." Hrs ac- 

 count to me, however, of all his proceedings on this occasion was 

 most amusing, and I am sure will be considered so by your 

 readers. First his interview with Mrs. Liston on his arrival in 

 the town before dinner. " I am highly proud of the honour, 

 madam," said Williamson, " of paying a tribute of my respect to 

 Mr. Liston by attending his dinner this day, which I assure you 

 I do at great personal inconvenience, for I must be back again 

 by ten o'clock to-morrow morning, to meet my hounds full fafty 

 miles from this. But it is a ma-Ian choly thing for the country, 

 madam, to think that a gentleman so eminent in his profession 

 as Mr. Liston, and also so fine a sportsman, and so fair a rider, 

 should leave his native toon, and go and live in London. We 

 shall miss him sadly with the hounds." " Perhaps so," replied 

 Mrs. Liston in perfect good humour " but if it had not been 

 for you and your hounds, Mr. Liston would have been in London 

 sixteen years ago." So much for the charms of fox-hunting, to 

 which not only honours, but wealth itself succumbs. 



" But," said I to Williamson, <c did no one speak on the subject 

 of fox-hunting, on such an occasion as this a dinner given to so 

 conspicuous a sportsman as Mr. Liston ?" "No one," replied 

 he ; " but Sir David Baird's speech smelt strongly of the shop. 

 In allusion to the retirement of Lord Grey, and the prospect of 

 a competent successor to his lordship, Sir David made a com- 

 parison to a pack of fox-hounds in chase. ' If the one that leads,' 

 said he, 'retires, another, perhaps equally good, takes his place/ 

 But," continued Williamson, " I rather differed with Sir David 

 here, and pulling my next neighbour by the sleeve, whispered in 

 his ear that depends on circumstances. W T hen all goes smooth, 

 and well, and with a good scent, a hound of moderate abilities 

 may guide the pack to their fox ; but when difficulties occur, 

 superior nose is wanted to insure success to the chase." Whether 

 or not this superior nose has been found it is not for me to say ; 

 but Williamson was at his post, full fofty miles off, on the fol- 

 lowing morning, and had the satisfaction of showing an excellent 

 day's sport. 



Nothing more being about to be done after the murder of our 

 second fox, I accompanied those eminent sportsmen, Mr. George 

 and Mr. Robert Baillie to their father's mansion, at Mellerstain,. 

 where I anticipated the reception which I met with, from every 

 part of the family. Some idea may be formed of the size of this 



