xxii Mr. Parker and Mr. John Price. 



and hand of Mr. Parker appeared to be perfect as to 

 giving assistance to his horse over a deep country like 

 Worcestershire ; and for nerve I need not go beyond the fact 

 of my seeing him ride an old groggy horse over a good gate 

 in a very hard frost." Another old sportsman alluded to 

 by the same author, as a compeer of Mr. Parker's, was 

 Mr. John Price, of Eyall, not only a breeder of horses 

 and an accomplished horseman, but a great Herefordshire 

 cattle breeder — he actually refused two thousand guineas 

 (a ratthug price in those days), for the pick of ten of his 

 best cows, bar one ! He knew how to sell his horses, for 

 he sold two to the then Lord Deerhurst for five hundred 

 guineas each— one of which, that he called " Judgment," 

 had all the best of a big run in the Grafton country with 

 him for a pilot. Speaking of that heavy side of the 

 country, from Pershore and Droitwich to Eedditch, 

 adjoining Warwickshire, which is undoubtedly the best 

 scenting, and the pick of Worcestershire in a hunting 

 point of view, the present agricultural depression has 

 materially added to its attractions — an immense extent 

 of country formerly under plough has been allowed to go 

 untilled, and rough pasture now abounds, where formerly 

 wheat grew. The old Hanbury Forest bids fair to 

 reassert itself, and scrubby blackthorn bushes are already 

 springing up all over the fields, making it a fine wild 

 country, with fences that require a hunter to negotiate. 

 I am glad to say that Worcestershire under Mr. Ames, 

 still brings out some good riders to hounds, and that there 

 is some young blood springing up of the never-to-be* 

 denied stamp, which bids fair to keep alive the sterling 

 spirit of horsemanship for which the fruit and hop shire 

 has been so long celebrated. 

 The following will, I believe, prove to be a correct 



