YORKSHIRE 273 



However, as my fancy directed me to nothing of the sort, but had 

 merely amused itself with the events of the day, rather might I have 

 exclaimed with the Poet, 



" If I may trust the flattering eye of sleep, 



My dreams presage some joyful news at hand." 



And truly this was the case. I passed the evening of this day in a 

 manner I shall not only never forget, but in a manner that more than 

 ever stamped on my mind the solid advantages of fox-hunting. The 

 whole party seemed to possess but one soul. The master of the 

 hounds was transported with delight, pleasure beamed in his eye, 

 and the bottle went round best pace to a very late hour. In short, it 

 was a day of rare festivity, and worth an age of common existence. 



When I entered the Club-room at seven o'clock, the whole party, 

 with the exception of Mr. Lambton, were assembled, awaiting the 

 announcement of dinner, and I think I counted sixteen. When he 

 arrived, a most entertaining scene occurred. This was, the excuse 

 each man made for not going to the end of the run ; and, if my 

 recollection serves, only five of the party had that pleasure. Their 

 answers to Mr. Lambton, who catechised them separately, gave rise 

 to much mei'riment ; and when Mr. Beckwith told us that he was 

 thrown out in consequence of meeting the fox, a roar of laughter 

 succeeded — that being in the first place a very stale excuse, and in 

 the second, a very bad one for so old and so good a sportsman as the 

 well-known Billy Beckwith. There was only one lost shoe, and that 

 I can vouch for, as having saved the credit of that staunch fox- 

 hunter, Mr. Surtees of Mainsforth. This gentleman keeps up the 

 style of old English hospitality and the good customs of our fore- 

 fathers. He invites Mr. Lambton, his hounds, his servants, his 

 horses, and his friends, with their servants and horses, to his house 

 for one fortnight every season, where he entertains them with every- 

 thing of the best ; and I was very sorry it was not in my power to 

 accept of his kind invitation at the ensuing anniversary of this jovial 

 meeting. Eefuse it I could not ; for his commands were issued in 

 the Medean style : — "You must come," said he, "I shall take no 

 excuse." 



I have not yet done with descanting on the effects of this fine day's 



T 



