140 ON THE GRAMPIAN HILLS. 



service ; after attending which I roamed over the 

 town to note the alterations and improvements that 

 have been made since my last visit, dating three years 

 back. I had no difficulty in finding out the altera- 

 tions, but could not discern the improvements. Two 

 more lines of railway, each passing through the best 

 part of the country, have been added, and this addition 

 is certainly not an improvement as respects riding to 

 hounds; the other alterations take the form of a 

 factory or two, with tall chimneys belching forth clouds 

 of smoke, and this does not improve the rural aspect 

 of the Metropolis of the Chase. 



Falling in with Mr. Martin, stud-groom to the 

 Earl of Wilton, who was going to the stables to see the 

 nags done up for the night, he kindly afforded me an 

 opportunity of passing through and examining the 

 high-class horses in the fourteen well-lighted, thoroughly- 

 ventilated, and admirably-kept boxes, which stand in 

 a line and can be seen at a glance. Amongst these 

 horses are some pictures of animals, fit to carry 

 thirteen stone to the fastest hounds in the world, 

 all seeming good-tempered and in capital condition, 

 Egerton Lodge, the residence of the venerable earl 

 who has hunted from Melton for considerably over 

 fifty years, being in readiness for his lordship, who, by- 

 the-way, I am happy to be able to say, is at the present 

 time residing there with the Countess of Wilton, 

 having Colonel Forester and Sir Henry Des Yoeux as 

 visitors. As yet Lord Wilton has not appeared in the 

 saddle, but it is to be hoped that he will once more 

 join in the sport in which he has so long delighted. 



Having in view the fact that I was going to attend 

 one of the best " meets " of the Quorn in the morning, 



