48 FACT AGAl^^ST FICTION. 



the temporary hero that accident has made 

 him. 



I never like to see a lady out in a public field 

 miless attended by her groom , when, if she means 

 to be with homids, she had better have a groom to 

 ride before her, and pilot the line across the 

 country, than after her, because the groom, if 

 behind her, is very apt to keep too near ; the horse 

 he is on, the stable companion of her own, becomes 

 hot and anxious not to be left behind, rushes at 

 his fences, and presses her too close ; and, if she 

 meets with a fall or temporary delay by a stumble, 

 may become the cause of the most terrible accident 

 by jumping upon her, ere her horse and herself 

 have time to right themselves. The difficulty, how- 

 ever, is to find a groom who is capable of taking 

 a straight and temj^erate line to hounds to pilot the 

 lady's equestrian way. You may find many gentle- 

 men who could do so, even to the occasional loss 

 of their place with the hounds ; but there are many 

 more things to be considered than are '^dreamed 

 of in the philosophy " of most people, and not 

 one man in a thousand is staid and reflective 

 enough to guide a lady even in the saddle. Of 

 this, however, I am perfectly certain, that there is 



