LETTER XXVII. 295 



do," he said, *'but he will drink beer like a fish, and that 

 he shall have in some warm water." 



In my younger days I cared little about a cold water 

 bath ; but when arrived at years of discretion, I kept on 

 terra firma as much as possible, leaving to hotter heads 

 to cool themselves in rivers. Brook jumping is all very 

 well, but a souse into a deep and wide stream is not now 

 much to my fancy. Independent of the consequences — 

 an attack of rheumatism or gout, it spoils the pleasure 

 of the whole day afterwards. 



There is, I think, too little attention paid in the 

 present day to the training of horses for hunting. Irish 

 horses are considered the best jumpers, and will take 

 standing leaps, which our English horses would be 

 puzzled to accomplish. They seldom make mistakes at 

 their fences, if pulled up and allowed to take them in 

 their own style. A friend of mine sent me over an Irish 

 horse, which would take most extraordinary standing 

 leaps over gates and walls, and, if going ever so fast, he 

 would always check himself, and take these leaps after 

 his own fashion. Not thinking him up to my weight, 

 he was handed over to the second whipper-in, and treated 

 Jack at first acquaintance to a rattling fall or two. He 

 rode him, as he had done his other horses, pretty fast at 

 a stiff gate, which came in his way the first day. Some 

 of the field, not fancying it, persuaded Jack to try first, 

 calculating upon his knocking it open, or breaking the 

 top bar. The horse, before taking off, stopped quite 

 short, and jerked him out of the saddle over to the other 

 side. Then, raising himself on his hind legs, vaulted 

 over upon Jack, who was lying upon his back. Not 

 being damaged. Jack picked himself up, and grinning at 



