COMICALITIES OF THE HUNTING-FIELD 169 



but himself, were ever grinding corn at Ramsdale, 

 and most courteously at the service of any tranquil 

 gentleman staying in the house and desirous of 

 seeing the meet. 



' My friend the Duke had long promised me a 

 mount on any horse I chose to select out of his very 

 amiable stud, premising that I should "go like a 

 shot " on whichever I should be lucky enough to 

 bestride myself. One evening, after dinner^ I decided, 

 in a reckless moment, to accompany him to Bunney 

 Park, the seat of Lord Eancliffe, to meet " the 

 Quorn." Hell-fire Jack and the Splasher were on 

 the lawn when we cantered up on our hacks, with 

 my old friend Will, the groom, in charge. After 

 a hasty mouthful at one of the very best spread 

 hunting breakfasts I ever saw, I slyly went out to 

 reconnoitre the cavalry, leaving the Duke soaking his 

 whiskers in a huge flagon of spiced ale, with roasted 

 crabs and rosemary floating in it, flanked by a cold 

 pork-pie, in which he had made an incision large 

 enough to put even his hand out of sight. 



' I got quietly to the old groom, and, after putting 

 on a very resolute forty minutes' look, which, God 

 help me, I little felt, I said, " Well, Will, it seems 

 likely to be a fine day after all ; which of these two 

 animals would you advise me, now, as a stranger, to 

 select, as his Grace is kind enough to let me take 

 whichever I like?" Will scratched his head and 

 gave the most extraordinary twitch with his mouth, 



