50 NIMROD'S HUNTING TOUR 



I attribute many falls which Mr. Morant got to his not riding in 

 spurs. "When horses come to be crammed at such places as he was 

 in the habit of cramming them, and perhaps blown at the time, the 

 assistance of spurs is most useful, to keep up the stimulus, and 

 prevent their slackening their pace when they come to the fence, by 

 which much of the impetus that would have carried them over is 

 lost, and a fall is too often the consequence. 



Mr. Morant has left \Varwickshire, and now resides in the New 

 Forest. It is also said he has declined hunting, which all those who 

 have not must lament. By his good humour and high spirits, he 

 vvas a great promoter of mirth in the field, and a gallant rider over 

 the country ; but only fit to follow fox-hounds on a good scenting day. 

 Could he have persuaded himself to have gone " Mr. Stubbs' pace," 

 he would have shewn more sport than he did with his harriers, but 

 with them he always rode among the leading hounds. 



Another celebrated character in our sporting catalogue is Mr. John 

 Hawkes, who resided many years at Snitterfield in Warwickshire, 

 but who has lately been living in Worcestershire, and only occasion- 

 ally appearing in the former country. Mr. Hawkes is also a very 

 old Meltonian, having been a great deal in Leicestershire in the late 

 Mr. Meynell's time, and distinguished by the friendship and 

 confidence of that renowned sportsman. Mr. Hawkes has not only 

 been a brilliant rider over a country, but was at one time supposed 

 to be one of the best gentlemen-jockeys of his day. " He was not 

 only," to use the words of Buckle, " clever in the saddle, but right 

 in the attics," his judgment in a race being particularly good ; and 

 had he been a jockey by profession, and three stone lighter, he 

 would have ridden many a winner of the Derby. Mr. Hawkes was 

 born to ride, nature having cast him in one of her favorite moulds ; 

 and I have heard that when in the army in early life he was 

 considered a model for a light dragoon. 



If Leicestershire does not spoil a man for most other countries, 

 it certainly makes him fastidious ; and Mr. Hawkes would have 

 been better satisfied with Warwickshire if he had never hunted in 

 the former county. It was not every day's sport that would please 

 him there, though, perhaps, he may have been heard to find fault 

 with a run in Warwickshire, which he would have been very well 



