THE MASTER 25 



company pressing too close upon his hounds, begins 

 crying out, as loud as he can, hold hard! If any one 

 should persist after that, he begins moderately at first, 

 and says, ^^ I beg, sir, you will stop your Jiorse : Fray, 

 sir, stop ; God bless you, sir, stop ; God d — n your 

 blood, sir, stop your horse / " 



Mr. Vyner, in his very able work, " Notitia 

 Venatica," gives the following amusing account of 

 Mr. Nichol, better known as Sam Nichol, in the 

 blowing-up line. 



When Mr. Nichol first took the New Forest, he 

 was desperately annoyed by some of the attendants 

 on his hounds, and after vainly begging and beseech- 

 ing several of the hard-riders, who were wantonly 

 pressing on the pack, to desist, he at length launched 

 out in no measured terms, to the utter astonishment 

 of one unfortunate wight, who claimed the privilege 

 of exhibiting himself, on the plea of being a committee 

 man. "The committee be d — d," replied Nichol, 

 " you are not worth d — ing singly, so I'll d — n you 

 all in a lump." 



Mr. Smith in his " Diary of a Huntsman," recom- 

 mends the indirect or at them, rather than the to 

 them style of rating, such as " Hold hard ; pray 

 black horse hold hard ! " 



The renowned Mr. Jorrocks was doubtless a disciple 

 of Mr. Smith's, for he carried the advice out to the 

 letter, and a little beyond — ex : gra : " Old ard, you 

 air dresser, on the chesnut oss ! " " Hair dresser, sir ! 

 I am an officer in the 91st Regiment." "Then you 

 hossifer in the 91st Regiment, wot looks like an air 

 dresser, old ard," rejoined Mr. Jorrocks, trotting on. 



But enough of bullying, scolding, and riot act 

 reading, — ungracious work at best, and only to be 

 excused under the plea of the infirmities of poor 

 human nature. When the boiler of poor humian 

 nature's indignation is insufficient to hold all her 

 steam, let us beseech the owner to get rid of his 



