Htmtijig in the last Century. 1 1 



It is, however, rather difficult to understand exactly 

 what is meant by the tradition that Mr. Ridge hunted 

 from Farnham to Romsey. It cannot mean that he 

 regularly hunted all that extent of country during 

 the whole forty-six years, because it is well known 

 that, for many years previous to 1795, Lord Stawell 

 drew the country from Farnham to Hackwood, and 

 Mr. Gilbert the Romsey and Hursley country. But 

 I suppose that what is meant is this — that there were 

 times, during those forty-six years, when there was no 

 impediment to Mr. Ridge going where he liked within 

 those limits ; that, in point of fact, he really did at 

 times hunt over the whole ; and that, by so doing, he 

 may be supposed to have established a claim for the 

 H. H. over all that extent of country. But this could 

 only have been done by migrating, in the manner that 

 I have already mentioned, from one kennel to another. 

 It is clearly impossible that so large a tract could 

 have been reached from any one centre, especially in 

 days when hounds were expected to be at the cover's 

 side soon after daybreak. 



On the whole, whether we consider the manner in 

 which some packs were crowded together, or the tracts 

 of country which were left either quite unoccupied, or 

 only occasionally visited, I think we shall come to one 

 conclusion— namely, the extreme irregularity of hunt- 

 ing arrangements one hundred years ago, compared 

 with the practice of the present age. 



I think also that it is easy to show that hounds, in 

 those days, required fewer foxes, and therefore less 

 country, supposing it to be equally well stocked, than 

 are now necessary for the same number of days' 

 hunting. 



