334 LEAVES FROM A HUNTING DIARY 



weight and a good sportsman. All the servants are light 

 weights. Lord Strathmore, a steeplechase rider, rode to-day 

 in a style that uiight do for steeplechasing but would not do 

 long in a good run. I was not much struck with the appearance 

 of the Quorn Hounds, they were not nearly so well-bred in 

 appearance as I had anticipated, and were, moreover, rather 

 uneven. 



Tuesday, November 3rd. Another nice fine day, after a dis- 

 charge of the " Pride of the Morning" in the shape of a light 

 soft rain, of short duration. The pack to-day was the Cottes- 

 more, Sir R. Sutton's, and the fixture, Burley-on-the- Hills, the 

 seat of Mr. Finch, M.P. for Rutland, and twelve miles from 

 hence. Sending on "Champagne,' I hacked "Cognac," but 

 the latter is almost in too high condition for a horse of his 

 temperament ; his temper was ruffled by being led up and down 

 while I was at breakfast, causing me to finish it abruptly for 

 fear of an accident to him, and he was like a mad horse fre- 

 quently, while going to covert. This decided me rather to 

 alter the plans I had formed of joining the Pytchley at North 

 Kil worth to-morrow by railway, and instead of doing so to meet 

 the Belvoir at Aswarby Park, sending " Cognac " on the same 

 morning to cool him clown a little before encountering him 

 with hounds. Burley is a magnificent place, and one of the 

 completest I have ever seen. The house, a plain and very 

 substantial Grecian edifice, stands on the brink of a command- 

 ing eminence, and must afford lovely scenery down the glades 

 of the park and woods and over the tree tops of the surround- 

 ing country. The rides through the woods reminded me of 

 Cirencester Woods on a small scale, but the place as a whole, 

 though less extensive, seemed to me more complete. 



After hanging about the woods for some time they ran fast 

 and straight for a quarter of an hour to another covert, from 

 which he went away across an open country, partly plough light 

 land, small as well as big fences and several stone walls, running 

 to around in a drain at Normanton, the seat of Sir Gilbert 

 Heathcote. The running, while it lasted, was very good, the 

 hounds hunted remarkably well, the country generally was a 

 very pleasant one to ride over, with flying fences and some stiff 

 ones, and the day altogether pleased me more than yesterday. 



I was delighted with " Champagne," who, if I had doubted 

 it before, proved himself a splendid hunter, lively yet temperate, 

 jumping equally well stiff timber, walls, stake-bound fences and 

 bullfinches ; going the best pace with ease to himself, fre- 

 quently leading, always with the hounds and with the first three 



