THE I.IFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



everything in LoitI Varney's hunt was conducted with a pro- 

 priety and respectability that left nothing to be wished for by 

 the members of it, or by those who occasionally joined it. 



The Atherstonc country is soon describe<l. On the Stafford- 

 shire side it is woodland, and bad for scent ; on those of 

 Derbyshire and Leicestershire, very good indeed. In fact, 

 from Burbage Wood, or Tooley Park, or Bosworth, a run may 

 be seen over as fine a country as even a Melton man would 

 desii'e. And the mention of a Melton man reminds me that 

 I may as well at once transcribe the first letter from Frank 

 Raby to his friend Hargrave, inasmuch as, amongst other 

 matters, it has reference to the doings of Melton men, in 

 conjunction with those of some of the conspicuous characters 

 of Lord Varney's hunt. 



' Atherstone, Feb. 2. 



' Dear Hargrave, — 



' According to promise, I report progress in this country, 

 as it is my intention to do of others which I may visit, to the 

 end that, when you are able to break loose from your trammels 

 (but mind me, Hargrave, I connnend you for complying with 

 the wishes of your excellent father, [and confining yourself to 

 Essex, so long as he continues to express them, for he is 

 deserving of everything at your hands), you may also visit 

 such as I recommend, and eschew such as are not worthy of 

 your notice. 



' In the first place, you will be greatly pleased with the 

 noble master of the pack. He has all those mild and amiable 

 features in his character and deportment which distinguish 

 the English gentleman, tooether with as much of the con- 

 sciousness of superiority in society as, in courtesy, we accede 

 to the English nobleman. He is also as much of a sportsman 

 as it is necessary that a master of foxhounds should be who 

 employs an experienced huntsman ; but in this respect, his 

 brother, the parson, is allowed to stand before him. As for 

 his huntsman, I am delighted with him, considering him to 

 be everything that a huntsman should be ; and when I tell 

 you that 1000 guineas were oftered, the other day, for three 

 of the horses which he rides with the hounds, I will leave 

 you to guess how he is mounted. His first whipper-in, also 

 (Harry Jackson), is a \ery clever fellow, and by the appearance 



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