SURRF.Y 59 



" Mr. Edward Woodbridge presents his compliments to •;=■-;=•■;=--=:=■-':=, 

 and begs his acceptance of the enclosed fine brush, the fruits of 

 a fox well retrieved, and handsomely run in to. Mr. W. regrets much 

 that -''■■■■■■■■-■■■■■■.■■■' did not stay, as he would have had one of the l^est 

 opportunities that may occur this season of seeing Colonel Jollifie's 

 hounds hunt and chase a fox ; and possibly of being better pleased 

 with the country than was likely he might have' been with the first 

 part of it. 



"Charlwood Park, Feb. 5th, 1824." 



To this I returned the following answer : — 



" Sir — I beg you will accept my thanks for the honour you have 

 done me in sending me the brush of so gallant a fox as yours 

 proved himself on Wednesday, when he faced a country, after the 

 rattling you gave him in those strong woodlands before I left you. 

 I much regret that I missed so good a fin isJi ; but thinking — as he 

 twice appeared inclined to go away, and turned again — that he 

 would hang in those coverts till he was killed ; and having been 

 unfortunately spoiled for such a wretched country as we w^ere then 

 in, I turned my horse's head towards his stable as soon as I could 

 see w4iich way to steer for it. I conclude, that in this respect 

 others were of my opinion, as only eight persons were at the covert's 

 side when the hounds met — an unusually small field, I should 

 imagine, with a pack so well attended as Mr. Jolliffe's, and on so 

 fine a hunting morning. As a sportsman, however, I should have 

 recollected, that the worst countries generally produce the best 

 foxes. 



" I have the honour to be," &c. 



Except Sussex, I never saw, heard of, or was in, a rougher 

 country than Surrey. Not a ride was cut through the coverts, and 

 the lanes sun-ounding them were belly deep in many places. Not- 

 withstanding this, runs are sometimes had in these parts ; and 

 which is rare, on the day alluded to, a keeper said there was a 

 brace of foxes in a certain pitch of gorse, " and it was so." On 

 the Wednesday following, we met at Povey Cross. I breakfasted at 

 Mr. Jolliffe's, and was much pleased with his stables. They con- 

 tain thirty stalls and boxes, with a veranda extending all around 



