THE NOBLE SCIENCE. 195 



feeder and helpers. Buckets of gruel are now trans- 

 ferred from the saddle-room cauldron, and all made 

 ready in the stable department for the reception of, and 

 immediate attendance upon, the horses; while the 

 feeder, with his ponderous ladle, is stirring up the broth, 

 and busily providing for the ravenous appetites to which 

 he has to administer. It was the invariable custom of 

 the illustrious Meynell, to see himself to the feeding of 

 the hounds, nor leave the kennel till all were comfort- 

 ably reposing on their beds of clean wheat straw. This 

 practice has been followed up by the Duke of Cleve- 

 land, and other votaries of the science, who, by their 

 personal attention to the system, have set most lauda- 

 ble examples for imitation ; but it was with Mr. Mey- 

 nell that the " system of kennel" originated ; and this 

 attention on his part is worthy of all admiration, consi- 

 dering that, in his day, it was much oftener after dark 

 than with daylight that he returned from a chase of 

 extent unknown in these days ; very frequently killing 

 a Quorn fox in the neighbourhood of Belvoir Castle — 

 a run which would now be considered a most extraor- 

 dinary occurrence — foxes being, as I understand, unac- 

 quainted with the hue. Whether, however, it was by 

 the last rays of the setting sun, or by " the lanthorn 

 dimly burning," in wet or drought, heat or cold, he did 

 not rejoin the gay circle which enjoyed his hospitality, 

 till, in the kennel, all was settled to his heart's content 



