LETTER XXIII. 247 



generally a monstrous deal of trash mixed up with them 

 also about splendid packs of hounds, when perhaps, half 

 of them are like turnspits. Then we hear of the darlings 

 (not Grace Darlings, many of them, I'll warrant), beau- 

 ties, and every hyperbole that can be made available to 

 laud their favourites to the skies — flying like pigeons, &c. 

 &c. This is all very fine and may be all very true, per- 

 haps ; but I should just like to have a look at these 

 paragons, and so would, I dare affirm, many more. No- 

 thing is more easy. We have a grand cattle show in 

 London. There are also little shows of long-eared rab- 

 bits, shows of terriers, and shows of spaniels, and why 

 not an annual show of foxhounds at Tattersall's ? 



The plan I would suggest is this — that each master of 

 foxhounds should send a couple of young unentered 

 hounds, dog and bitch, of his own breeding (say two or 

 three days before the Epsom Meeting), with their feeders ; 

 but, first and foremost, as nothing can be done without 

 a dinner, let every master of foxhounds subscribe a couple 

 of sovereigns annually to a fox-hunting club, to meet at 

 the Clarendon, or any other place which may be consi- 

 dered more eligible. A president should be chosen. 

 Probably either the Duke of Beaufort or the Duke of 

 Rutland would not refuse their services, to promote so 

 laudable an object. For a guinea per head an excellent 

 dinner could be provided, with a sufficient allowance of 

 wine. There are now advertised in BelVs Life about 

 seventy packs of foxhounds — say that only fifty sub- 

 scribed. We have, then, £100 to commence with. If 

 all appeared at the dinner, there would be £50 expended. 

 I would, however, admit a few others, if considered ex- 

 pedient, by tickets. We have, then, £50 to expend in 



