REMINISCENCES OF A HUNTSMAN. 53 



to do. In the same way, I never smoke, though I 

 can smoke to any amount, and have done so when my 

 asfricultural friends at times were blowino^ such clouds, 

 as made it incumbent on me to raise an equally thick 

 one, to save me from the mists of theirs. A regular 

 smoker is scarcely ever sweet enough for a lady's 

 drawing-room ; but wherever he goes, and more par- 

 ticularly in damp weather, his redolence reminds you 

 of the but-end of an old tobacco-pipe. My absti- 

 nence from, the pipe, coupled with the ability to smoke, 

 has been serviceable to me more than once. Re- 

 turning from the Broadway country after hunting with 

 Lord Fitzhardinge's hounds, drenched to the skin 

 with rain, in a post-chaise, I shut up the windows, 

 and smoked cigars the whole way to Cheltenham, and 

 never was better in my life. Also, if I feel chilled, and 

 think that a cold is coming on, a cigar and glass of 

 hot brandy and water will drive it away. The sea, the 

 river, the damp ground, lying in the mud in waiting 

 for wild-fowl, never give me cold ; London gives it 

 me, and particularly the House of Commons. Lord 

 Malmesbury and myself have both made the remark, 

 that when a man, while out on any sporting occasion, 

 lights a pipe, it is all up with the good he will do for 

 that day. The out-door servants in my employ who 

 always carried a short pipe in their waistcoat pockets, 

 to smoke whenever my back was turned, were utterly 

 useless ; and I have discharged some because I could 

 not break them of the habit. Though much younger 

 than I am, when in the forest or partridge shooting, I 

 could not only run or walk their jackets and waistcoats 

 off their backs, but, while my lips were unparched, these 

 habitual smokers were lying doAvn to drink at every 

 puddle. In regard to the moderate use of tobacco, I 



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