THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



accommodation, thougli divested of unnecessary ornament, and 

 pretending to nothing beyond the residence of a (luiet country 

 gentleman. The grounds, however, he found rather prettily 

 laid out, having the advantage of the river Soar running 

 through them ; not that there is nmch to admire beyond the 

 fact of its being water — which makes all scenery agreeable — 

 in the still and even flow of a deep Leicestershire stream. 



The next day to this was one of intense interest to our hero, 

 who was to make his first appearance with hounds in Leices- 

 tershire, having been informed by a letter from Mr. Somerby, 

 that he had taken stables and apartments for him at Melton 

 Mowbray, and that he should have nuich pleasure in paving 

 the way to his arrival thither, by introducing him to some of 

 the leading characters of the Quorn, and also of the neighbour- 

 ing hunts. He felt a buoyancy of heart almost inexpressible 

 on the occasion ; in fact, he never before felt it beat so high, 

 for, although fearless in his person, he could not divest himself 

 of the notion that riding to hounds over Leicestershire, and 

 amongst Leicestershire men, was something very diflerent from 

 what he had hitherto seen it in what Leicestershire men call 

 the ' provincials.' His master-passion, however, was well roused 

 on the occasion, and, without indulging himself in the absurdity 

 of being able to ' dare impossibilities,' was determined to do 

 his best. 



The fixture was Cream Lodge Gorse, in the township of 

 Great Dalby, and no misnomer either, forasmuch as it is in 

 the cream of the Quorn country ; and a horse called Gentle- 

 man, one of the two purchased at Tattersall's, was sent forward 

 by our young sportsman for the occasion, he himself following 

 on his hack, his carriage ha\ ing been despatched to Melton 

 with his luggage. On his arrival at the cover, he was imme- 

 diately met by Mr. Somerby, and, in the course of the day, 

 introduced by him to the following leading characters of those 

 truly sporting days : — 



To Lord Sefton, of course, as master of the hounds, and also 

 to Mr. Meynell, who, although no longer a master, was in 

 the field ; to the Lords Villiers, Maynard, Chai'les Somerset, 

 Craven, and Foley ; to the Honourable George Germaine, the 

 Honourable Robert Grosvenor, the Honoui'able Joshua Van- 

 neck, the Honoui-al)le Berkeley Craven, aiul the Honourable 

 Martin Hawke ; to Sirs J(jhn SlicUey, Koljert Laiigle}-, Hciny 



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