ANECDOTE 91 



roads. If gentlemen, at such times, will ride close upon the hounds, they 

 may drive them miles without any scent. 1 High-mettled fox-hounds are 

 seldom inclined to stop while horses are close at their heels. 



An acquaintance of mine, a good sportsman, 2 but a very warm one, 

 when he sees the company pressing too close upon his hounds, begins with 

 crying out as loud as he can, hold hard ! If any one should persist after 

 that, he begins moderately at first, and says, / beg, Sir, you will stop your 



horse Pray, Sir, stop God bless you, Sir, stop ! God d n your blood, Sir, 



stop your horse ! 



I am now, as you may perceive, in a very violent passion ; so I will 

 e'en stop the continuation of this subject till I be cool again. 



1 No one should ever ride in a direction which, if persisted in, would carry him amongst 

 the hounds, unless he be at a great distance behind them. 



* 2 Said (Literary Recollections) to refer to Mr. Vincent Hawkins Gilbert of Lamb's Corner, 

 master of a pack which hunted in the New Forest. 



