18 NIMROD'S HUNTING TOUR 



be mistaken ; and at the time I spoke the mischief no doubt was 

 done. He was a friend of Sir Henry Peyton, and stuck close to him 

 in the run ; but at the check I speak of, Sir Henry's horse, as he 

 observed to me at the time, was as comfortable and as much at his 

 ease as the other was beaten and distressed. On the following day, 

 his other horse sank under him on his road home without much 

 apparent distress, and was dead in two hours. To want of con- 

 dition, or, in the language of the stable, " not being fit to go," is to 

 be attributed the loss of these horses. 



Lord Jersey, when at his seat at Middleton Stoney, is within 

 four miles of Sir Thomas Mostyn's kennel, but he does not hunt 

 much in Oxfordshire. His Lordship, like most good judges and old 

 Meltonians, is become fastidious as to hounds, horses, and country ; 

 and, unless things go very smoothly indeed, he does not appear 

 happy in the field. Having often seen him as Lord Villiers, and 

 since as Lord Jersey, go brilliantly over Leicestershire, I should be 

 sorry to hear that he slackened his pace, as no man can beat him 

 when he is inclined to ride. He is an elegant horseman, and, when 

 riding to hounds, he goes cheering along as though he were delighted 

 with the sport. If, however, he is fastidious in the choice of his 

 horses, in the purchase of them he has one sine qua non, and that is, 

 power ; for he will buy no horse that is not more than a stone above 

 his weight. His Lordship knows how to make a handicap at New- 

 market ; and is well aware that a man of ten stone weight, on a 

 horse only equal to nine, cannot go so fast over a country as a man 

 of fourteen stone on a horse equal to fifteen. I heard a good 

 anecdote of his Lordship on this subject a short time since. He 

 was trying a horse belonging to a London dealer in the Park. A 

 friend of mine was passing at the moment, and asked him whether 

 he thought he should buy him. " I fear not, Sir," said the dealer, 

 "■ we don't live by his sort." 



Sir Henry Peyton's seat at Tusmore Park is in the centre of Sir 

 Thomas's country, and the Baronet goes as well as ever he did in 

 bis life. Y/hen riding to hounds, however, he does not show that 

 animation and pleasure that Lord Jersey appears to feel when things 

 go right ; but the moment the hounds are away, he presses his hat 

 over his face, and with a look which seems to imply, " Go along, my 



