SURREY 55 



the next morning if tliere is any hunting to be had. He is a very 

 heavy man, and past the prime of Hfe, but has the character of 

 being an excellent sportsman, and one of long standing in this 

 country, having, it is said, been at the first turning out of deer 

 before Lord Derby's hounds, twenty-seven years ago. His horses 

 lie at Croydon ; and, judging by one or two that I have seen, I 

 may perhaps be allowed to say that, for once, " Hobson's choice " is 

 a good one. 



Mr. Hobson always comes in his carriage to Croydon, where he 

 generally dines after the sport of the day, and then gets into it 

 again, ready dressed for the drawing-room. Were it not for this 

 economy of personal exertion, he could not go through the fatigue, 

 as he never quits hounds till he either hears the who whoop, or till 

 the last glimmering of hope has fled. This may be called an 

 humble imitation of the method which the Earl of Darlington (now 

 Marquis of Cleveland) adopted when he hunted his own hounds six 

 days in the week. His Lordship had a change of clothes kept well 

 aired at all the principal inns within his Hunt, to the nearest of 

 which he always repaired after his sport was over ; and putting 

 himself into a chaise and four, ready dressed for the evening, a small 

 field-piece at the lodge of his park announced his approach to the 

 Castle, and by the time he arrived dinner (if ready) was upon the 

 table. 



There was a Captain Harvey also out with these hounds, who 

 must not be overlooked ; but I understand he is chiefly a stag- 

 hunter. He left one arm at Waterloo ; but with the other he 

 makes a good fight over a country, and has got two very superior 

 hunters. 



A Mr. Dyer is also a conspicuous character in this Hunt. He 

 has a good stud of horses, and gives the best prices of any man 

 in it. 



There was one other character out with these hounds which I 

 must not pass over, as, perhaps, I may never see such another. 

 His name is Holt. He appeared to have arrived at the age of man ; 

 but there was no appearance of " labour or sorrow." He looked still 

 sound and heart-whole, and as if every muscle in his body were as 

 tough as whipcord ; and was, I hear, a very handsome fellow in his 



