THE WARWICKSHIRE HOUNDS. 



95 



meets were within reach of Leamington, and 

 might almost be said to have constituted a crisis in 

 the history of the pack. Had the master of "the 

 Warwickshire " bowed to the demands of resorters to 

 the new centre of fashion he would have moved to 

 Leamington, and have devoted his attentions to the 

 districts which they could reach with the least exer- 

 tions. But it was sport to his supporters and not 

 amusement to the gay birds of passage that he felt 

 himself called upon to provide, and hence, while meet- 

 ing their requirements as far as he felt justified in 

 doing, as was set forth in the last chapter, "the 

 Warwickshire" continued to keep to the more southern 

 half of the country, where, both before and since, regular 

 and excellent sport had, and has awaited them. 



An assembly room, pump room, theatre, and, of 

 course, hotels had risen for the amusement and accom- 

 modation of the visitors, and, as an old book says, "pro- 

 vision was made for the gay as well as for the sick and 

 drooping." As a Spa no doubt Leamington was advanc- 

 ing by most creditable strides, and naturally as a 

 hunting quarter advanced too. There is some doubt, 

 however, whether its successful increase in the first 

 direction did not militate somewhat against its attain- 

 ment of full popularity from the sporting community. 

 Hunting at the time when our good Queen's reign was 

 only a year or two old had not attained the position of 

 a fashionable pastime and the pursuit in which society 

 contrives to kill time. The hounds were followed and 

 supported mainly by men who hunted with all the 

 seriousness they would have devoted to sterner occu- 

 pations. The hunting months of the year were to most 

 of them the only portions of their lives in which they 

 found its full enjoyment, and every hunting day con- 

 tained moments too precious to be wasted. To these the 

 attractions which were ofifered by a fashionable Spa were 

 gilded toys beneath their notice, and greatly clashed with 



Leamington. 



Demands from 

 the Spe. 



The Spa as a 

 himting quar- 

 ter. 



