40 THE BILLESDON HUNT, 



their rides with hounds cannot be too highly 

 appreciated. Happily the days have gone 

 by which we read of, when rudeness and 

 vulgarity prevailed among the sterner sex ; 

 yet there are many who can remember the 

 time when the appearance of a lady on 

 horseback in Leicestershire was quite a 

 marvellous event. Much of the popularity 

 which foxhunting has attained, Is due to 

 the patronage of our fair friends, and it 

 cannot be disputed. It is incomparably 

 the most Important of our national pas- 

 times. 



An event recently occurred in this coun- 

 try, so impressive as to the social influences 

 connected with foxhunting, that It would be 

 a great omission not to relate it. Captain 

 Bethune had for several years rented a 

 hunting-box at Burton Overy. The latter 

 part of the year 1870, Mr Bearsley, the 

 owner of the property, died, and it was conse- 

 quently offered for sale at Leicester. Not 



