CHAPTER XIII. 



THE PROVINCES. 



A DISTINGUISHED soldier of the present day, formerly 

 as daring and enthusiastic a rider as ever charged his 

 " oxers " with the certainty of a fall, was once asked 

 in my hearing by a mild stranger, "Whether he had 

 been out with the Crawley and Horsham ? " if I 

 remember right. 



" No, sir ! " was the answer, delivered in a tone that 

 somewhat startled the querist, " I have never hunted 

 with any hounds in my life but the Ouorn and the 

 Pytchley, and I'll take d d good care I never do ! " 



Now I fancy that not a few of our " golden youth," 

 who are either born to it, or have contrived in their own 

 way to get the " silver spoon " into their mouths, are 

 under the impression that all hunting must necessarily 

 be dead slow if conducted out of Leicestershire, and 

 that little sport, with less excitement, is to be obtained 



