?S6 KIMRO&S NORTHERN TOUR. 



however, as this mare is, she proved the truth of the anathema 

 pronounced against mares by the late Lord Forester, who would 

 never have one (nor a stallion neither) in his stable. " You can 

 never depend upon a mare," he would say, " the season through- 

 out. She will be very good one day, and not worth a shilling, 

 as a hunter, the next. Nay, more than this. She will be very 

 good at ten o'clock and very bad at twelve o'clock of the same 

 day." I certainly saw nearly all this exemplified in the fine 

 animal I am now speaking of. We crossed a gentleman's 

 grounds in chase, which was divided into several compartments 

 by rails not more than three feet in height. The mare refused 

 them all some once, others twice ; and absolutely ran through 

 one of them, although she could have leaped twice as high as 

 the highest of them. The cause of this I need not trouble 

 myself to state. In the same gentleman's stud there was a 

 chestnut horse which he has ridden many seasons quite a 

 model to carry weight ; and, like his father, Mr. George Baillie 

 can give little change out of sixteen stone. He also resembles 

 his father in another respect. He is accounted one of the best 

 sportsmen in Scotland. 



In Mr. Robert Baillie's stable there was also an immense 

 thorough-bred horse, nearer seventeen than sixteen hands high, 

 and with a fine set of limbs. It was his second, if not his first 

 season ; but he was progressing towards perfection. He was, 

 however, in the right man's stable for that, for a finer horseman, 

 or better rider to hounds than Mr. Robert Baillie is, need not go 

 into a field, let the country or the pace be what it may. His best 

 hunter, a thorough-bred mare, by Stainborough, I did not see 

 out, she being unsound at the time. I have, however, reason to 

 believe this young gentleman is not very particular about the 

 nag he rides let him only be well bred, and with a heart as good 

 as his own. I have already said that the laird of Mellerstain 

 was at this time living in privacy on account of a recent indis- 

 position, and consequently I did not expect to find eiany guests 

 under his otherwise hospitable roof. There were, however, Mr. 

 Henry Scott of Harden, a near relation of the Duke of Buccleuch, 

 and Captain Elliot, brother to Sir William Elliot. But guests 

 are not wanting at Mellerstain to make a numerous fire-side, 

 forasmuch as when they are all at home, the sons and daughters, 

 with the laird and his lady, are quite equal to that. I should 

 2iave much liked to have seen this family party entire, as from 

 what I have seen, and from what I have heard of them, they do 

 honour to the human race. It is not usual to place young ladies 

 under the standard, therefore on that subject I am silent ; but 

 nil the sons stand upwards of six feet, without their shoes ! 



