COMICALITIES OF THE HUNTING-FIELD 173 



expressed himself when he heard the Archbishop 

 of York halloo away a fox, and prepared for 

 martyrdom. 



' " Don't point him at anything you particularly 

 dislike, such as trees or houses," said the Duke, 

 rushing like a rocket at a double post and rail; 

 *'take at least a hundred yards to consider, or " 



'I could hear no more, for I was within fifty 

 yards of a rasping stake and bound fence, with a 

 ditch like a canal on each side, at which the Splasher 

 went at the rate of ten thousand miles an hour, head 

 down, tail up. You might as well have pulled at the 

 Great Britain with Fanny Ellsler's garter ! We 

 crashed through, or over, I forget which, and then 

 came to a full stop, the Splasher thinking he had 

 finished the business after he had jumped the fence, 

 and pitched me at least twenty yards clean over his 

 head, amidst the roars of the Duke and a select 

 party he had invited to see the fun. 



' " The nearest turnpike road to Nottingham ? " 

 said I to an interesting gentleman cutting turnips. 

 ^' Please open that gate whilst I turn this brute's 

 head the other way, or he will take it at the posts 

 without asking your leave or mine." 



' You will agree that I have reason to be grateful 

 that I was spared to write this, and so I am, but not 

 more so than I shall be at seeing my good friend the 

 Duke of Limbs once more, particularly as I hear he 

 has changed his stud.' 



