THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



fillies, let me have your opinion of their condition, etc. ; and, 

 should you hear of a good tvell-bred hunter for sale, think of 

 ine. I will go as far as 300 guineas. 



' Dear Dauntley, 



' Ever yours, 



'Francis Raby. 



' Tlie Lord Dauntley, efco. etc. 



'P.»S'. — I had nearly forgotten to tell you, that I was much 

 pleased with the appearance of the celebrated Mr. Brummell 

 in the held. He is not a sportsman, I believe, nor much of a 

 rider; but he is one of the neatest and best dressed men I 

 ever saw. His horses, also, are complete both in shape and 

 condition, and everything about him — the tout ensemble, I 

 think they call it on the other side of the channel — may be 

 said to be complete.' 



The ides of March were not more dreaded by the great 

 Caesar himself, than they are by a fox-hunter in the ploughed 

 countries, as half a dozen ' fine March days,' as the farmers 

 say of them, put a stop to anything like sport with hounds. 

 This being the case in that district in which Sir John Inkleton 

 hunted, he most liberally made an offer of his four capital 

 hunters to his young friend, Frank Raby, and they arrived at 

 Melton in tip-top condition, just one month previous to the 

 conclusion of the season. . Here, then, was the character of 

 our hero at once brought forth, and stamped. In some of 

 their best runs — which are not denied to hounds in the grass 

 countries, even to the middle of April — he particularly dis- 

 tinguished himself ; and it was the general opinion of the best 

 judges amongst the Meltonians and the members of the other 

 hunts, that Frank Raby, as he was now everywhere called, 

 woukl one day or another rank in the foremost class, not only 

 of horsemen, but of sportsmen — -verifying the prophetic verdict 

 of Mr. Forester, that he was 'a very promising young one.' 



202 



