188 NIMROD'S HUNTING TOUR 



hounds ; a sportsman at the head of them — a man full of zeal and 

 activity, who values neither labour nor expense, and I heartily wish 

 him success. 



After hunting I dined at Leamington with Sir Loftus Otway. We 

 had a large party of sporting men, and amongst them, Mr. Meyrick, 

 Mr. Buck, and Colonel Eobins of the 7th Hussars, w^ho had all been 

 out that morning with Lord Anson at Newnham, the seat of the 

 Earl of Denbigh. A fox was found in the gorse, which afforded a 

 capital run of one hour and fifteen minutes, though the finish was 

 wanting. I was glad the two last-named gentlemen were out, as 

 they were new to the country ; and they were also fortunate to see 

 Mr. Hay's fine run on the preceding Saturday. 



In honour of the day, and the sport it afforded. Sir Loftus pro- 

 posed "the health of Lord Anson." It was drunk with enthusiasm. 

 ' ' ' What a gallant fellow over a country ! ' ' said one . " What a trump ! ' ' 

 said another. "What a huntsman he will make in a few years ! " 

 said a third. "By the Lord," said I, "if the name of Anson 

 had not been immortalized before, this man would do the business ! " 



Since I first knew Warwickshire, a great addition has been made 

 to it in the town of Leamington. It now contains several resident 

 sportsmen, who live very sociably together, and entertain their 

 friends in the most hospitable manner. Amongst them is a gentle- 

 man by the name of Moray, from the county of Perth, a Major in the 

 Dragoon service. The Major is a bruising rider, and by far the best 

 mounted man I saw in Warwickshire. In addition to the excellent 

 stamp of his horses, their condition is quite perfect. In short I have 

 no scruple in saying, that I never saw, four times in my life, six 

 horses in any one man's possession in such a fit state to go as his 

 are. Tliey are full of flesh of the right sort, and their muscles quite 

 luxuriant. I say this with increased satisfaction, because these 

 horses, instead of being turned out in the summer, travelled eight 

 hundred miles on the turnpike road, and were kept on hard meat. 

 The Major assured me he never had them in such tune before, 

 either with respect to their legs and feet, or their bodies. " I may 

 blow them," said he, " but I cannot tire them." 



On the second of January (1826) I got upon the Hibernia at Oxford 

 on my road to Shrewsbury Hunt. The Gentlemen of the Hunt not 



