334 THE POST AND THE PADDOCK. 



vantage to contend against, which was, that they had 

 no woodlands, where they could begin early in the 

 autumn, on account of the corn. For this reason, 

 Meynell stooped them to hare in the spring, to get 

 them handy when they began hunting. So far it-had 

 the desired eifect, but they never were thoroughly 

 steady. There is a story of their having had a bril- 

 liant burst of twenty minutes, and killing a hare in 

 the turnpike road amongst the field ; Meynell, with- 

 out showing anger or surprise, very calmly remarked, 

 as on the occasion alluded to in the last chapter, 

 " Ah, there are days when they will hunt anything." 

 Meynell was the great luminary of the chase, from 

 whom all sporting planets borrowed their light. 

 Still, although one would suppose they must have 

 been conscious of his pre-eminence, it was long be- 

 fore they availed themselves of it. 



Lord Monson's were the hounds which approxi- 

 mated nearer to MeynelFs than any others of the 

 day ; and, indeed, take them for every sort of coun- 

 try, woodland and open, they were of very superior 

 order. 



Lord Lonsdale (then Sir James Lowther) was a 

 cotemporary of Meynell, but never would breed from 

 his blood. He persisted in keeping the slow-hunting 

 large hounds, which he had always been accustomed 

 to, and a good fox over the country was above his 

 hands. He pursued the same system till late in 

 life, when it was generally believed that Colonel 

 Lowther had the management. Whether that be the 

 case or not, their character was entirely changed : 

 they were lighter, quicker, and for several years had 

 as good sport as any hounds in the country. 



John Warde was another cotemporary of Meynell, 

 but never would cross with him. He was prejudiced 

 in favour of the old heavy slow hound, and affected to 

 hold Meynell cheap. His prejudice was so strong that 

 he once got two of his draft hounds of the meanest 



