CHAPTER XXI 



' e And if he asks, what made thy heart 



Against its chains rebel, 

 Disguise no atom of the part 



That I have taken : mark me well ! 

 I know my duty thus accords 

 A willing hand to back my words : 

 Then here I swear to set thee free ; 

 Away ! I care not who he be." 



The Last of the New Forest Deer.G. F. B. 



BEFORE concluding these Reminiscences, my readers will not be 

 surprised if I touch on the relative positions of masters of 

 hounds, and the old and good laws of honour which used, and 

 ought still, to govern their conduct towards each other. The 

 new regulations, in part brought about by the exertions and 

 cant of those calling themselves the " Peace Society " the con- 

 sistency of whom may be judged of by the speech made by Mr. 

 Cobden at the close of this last session of Parliament, 1853, on 

 the Russian and Turkish question, so ably, so amply, so severely 

 and beautifully answered by Lord Palmerston have plunged 

 the code of honour, that ought to be so useful and so binding, 

 into innumerable difficulties in regard to many questions, trivial 

 apparently in themselves, but carrying a vast deal of weight in 

 the socialities of life. The abolition, or the attempted abolition 

 of the duel has, I say, left the code of honour without any 

 judgment-seat to appeal to ; for it is the most abject and drivel- 

 ling nonsense to suppose that public opinion, or any sense of pro- 

 priety, will rule the low and vile mind, and force an abstinence 



