86 REMINISCENCES OF A HUNTSjVLAN. 



barn for safety, torn in pieces. The upshot of this 

 was so ridiculous a demand for money, that all com- 

 promise was out of the question, and the man 

 Baker commenced his action against me for tres- 

 pass and assault in the Court of Queen's Bench, 

 Scarlett for the plaintiff and Brougham for the de- 

 fence. It struck me at once that I had an indifferent 

 jury, for they regarded Mr. Scarlett's rather jolly- 

 looking countenance and comfortable figure, as a 

 bird might be supposed to rejoice over one of his 

 feather, with smiling complacency; but when they 

 looked on Brougham, it was with an evident shake of 

 the head, as if each juryman had said, " No, no, my 

 boy, you an't going to wile the wits out of us with 

 your eloquence ; it's Scarlett as tells the truth." 

 Called for the jury was one of the Messrs. Gunter, 

 who always used to hunt with me, and whom, with his 

 brother I think, to whom Lord Alvanley gave the 

 advice of " icing his horse," I was always delighted 

 to see with my hounds, and to him the complainant 

 instantly objected, some of his party basely insinua- 

 ting that Mr. Gunter looked in his white great-coat 

 unusually stout, that he never seemed so large before, 

 or behind either, and that they were sure he had 

 a plumb-cake in each of his great-coat pockets, re- 

 solved they said, to stand any length of locking up, 

 rather, 1 sujypose, than join in a verdict against his 

 conscience. Gunter objected to, the jury was then 

 sworn, and so fascinated were they with Mr. Scarlett's 

 appearance, that from me " hope withering fled, and 

 mercy sighed farewell." The trial proceeded, afford- 

 ing as much amusement to a large audience as any 

 theatrical farce. The boors who appeared in support 

 of the allegation were superbly ignorant and liighly 



