THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



who anticipated injury to the pack by hi.s being too much 

 prejudiced to one sort of hound. For example : there is a 

 beautiful bitch called Lady, whose picture, with her cubs, is 

 in almost every house in the county, and from which, and her 

 produce, there are a great number of hounds in the kennel — 

 more than should be, good judges say. Some persons will tell 

 you a pack of foxhounds should seem to be all of one family ; 

 but I think that characteristic should oidy extend to the look, 

 as breeding too much in-and-in, as it is called, will not do with 

 either the human or brute race, and no doubt the objection 

 extends to the canine. Whether it be from that cause, or 

 otherwise, I cannot say, but these hounds have not much 

 tongue with even a moderate scent, and still less, of course, 

 with a good one. With a good one, however, they go at a 

 tremendous rate. It would do your heart good to see Villiers, 

 Peyton, and Harrison ride a sharp burst. They are beautiful 

 horsemen, and not to be beaten b}^ any man in this country, 

 or, I believe, in any other. 



' I need not tell you anything of the Duke of Beaufort's 

 hounds, as you have so often hunted with them from Oxford ; 

 liut I believe you never saw the Duke of Grafton's pack. You 

 would be much pleased with Rose, their huntsman, better 

 known as "Tom Rose." He is the very pattern-card of a hunts- 

 man, in all respects ; has a most intelligent countenance, 

 the voice of a Stentor, speaking excellent dog language, and 

 is a good horseman. The hounds are not so neat as Mostyn's, 

 but have more power ; and they appear to be higher in Hesh, 

 which Rose says is necessary in his very strong country, 

 wherein the woods are large and rough. The Fitzroys are 

 considered good sportsmen, but there is a gloom thrown over 

 their appearance in the field by the colour of their coats — a 

 dark green, which looks very sombre by the side of a bright 

 scarlet, which is that of the Mostynites. The latter have the 

 letter M on their button, which lately gave rise to a good joke. 

 One of them appearing in Leicestershire in this costume, with 

 a martingal on his horse, was asked by one of the elite, 

 " whether the letter M implied martingal ? " If 3'ou are not 

 smothered in an Essex ditch (how can you hunt in such a slow 

 country as that ?) I would advise you to come here next season. 

 I think you will agree with me that the country is a sporting- 

 one — the field composed of sportsmen, and the whole thing 



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