168 THE HOESE AND HIS EIDER. 



silver flask flattened in his breast-pocket, he resolutely 

 effected his object and then cantered away. " Who's 

 that f " said a gentleman to a farmer who had gallantly 

 assisted in the extrication. " I don't know his name" 

 was the reply, "but, whoever he is, he stuck to him like 

 a RIGHT GOOD 'UN ! " About a month afterwards it tran- 

 spired that the " right good 'un," who had risked his life 

 to help one he never before saw, and whom probably he 

 will never see again, was Lord C., now Marquis of H., 

 and heir to the dukedom of D. In the hunting field, 

 unfettered by prescriptive rights or privileges, the head 

 and heart of man rise or sink to that level, whatever it 

 may be, that intrinsically is their due. In short, irre- 

 spective of parentage, education, or income, any rider may 

 assume whatever position he can take, and, so long as he 

 leads, no one can prevent his wearing the honours, what- 

 ever they may be, of the day. 



Hunting is generally accused of being a very dangerous 

 amusement, and yet by medical returns it might easily 

 be demonstrated that it is not so injurious to a man's 

 health or so fatal to his life as going to a succession of 

 balls, or especially of good dinners ; in fact, there can be 

 no doubt that a London season blanches, per cent, per 

 annum, more cheeks, and requires more physic and more 

 coffins, than a hunting season. 



How little danger, instead of how much, belongs to 



