92 NIMROD'S HUNTING TOUR 



leave to make mention of one here. A few years back, when the 

 country was so depressed, and rents came in so slowly, Mr. "Ward 

 told his Lady he feared he must give up his hounds. " Oh, no ! " 

 said she, " don't do so, the times perhaps may mend." Going shortly 

 afterwards to his banker's, he found the sum of a thousand pounds 

 placed to his credit by a " Friend to fox-hunting." This friend to 

 fox-hunting w^as Mrs. Ward, and the sum was paid out of her 

 private purse. Hear this, ye married ladies, and do not forget the 

 moral ! If you wish to retain the affections of your husbands, 

 encourage, but do not thwart his favorite pursuits. Your 

 beauty may fade in his eye ; your charms may pall upon the 

 sense ; but such conduct as this can only be forgotten in the 

 grave. 



Mr. Ward resides in the town of Hungerford, in the Manor-house, 

 which is his own. Behind it are the garden, stables, kennel, 

 excellent airing yard, (and grass land sufficient for a few cows. 

 Few men live better than Mr. Ward does at his seat in Kent ; 

 and at Hungerford he most hospitably entertains his friends with 

 good old English fare, well adapted to fox-hunters. Where he is, 

 however, we are sure of a feast, for mirth and good humour give 

 a seasoning to everything ; and during my stay at Hungerford I 

 spent many pleasant evenings in the old Manor-house — he having 

 told me beforehand that he would " take care my w^aistcoat did not 

 run in." 



I rejoice to say that this veteran sportsman continues heart-whole 

 and well. His appetite is good ; and, from his fine constitution and 

 roomy frame, many winters will yet roll over his head — and I wish 

 from my soul they may. "It is not," says Cicero, " in the first act 

 of the drama that a good player is applauded ; but it is the conclud- 

 ing scenes that the warmth of our feeling, as it were, breaks forth 

 into a blaze." I scorn to flatter him, for " praise undeserved is 

 satire in disguise ; " but we are all indebted to Mr. Ward : we are 

 indebted to him for the honour he has done to fox-hunting : we are 

 indebted to him for the pains he has taken in breeding the English 

 fox-hound : we are indebted to him for all the mu'th, the pleasantries, 

 and good fellowship he has given birth to : and, above all, we are 

 indebted to him for preserving the character of the old English 



