LORD EVERGREEN 223 



the idea of omnibuses, chimney-pots, and cabbage 

 gardens in the distance. 



But away from London, away from its toils, away 

 from its cramping narrowness, its coldness, its stiff 

 calculating formalities, how the emancipated mind 

 bounds and revels in the luxury of unrestricted 

 country. Now along the narrow valley, now through 

 the woody grove, now over the swelling hill, from 

 whose commanding height we see the shining river 

 circling, till the landscape runs itself into nothing in 

 the distance. The very horse seems to partake of 

 the joy and inspiration of the rider, and treads the 

 ground with a light, blithesome step, that as much 

 as says, " Why don't you hunt oftener ? " Diana, we 

 often think, favours the occasional sportsman. How 

 often we see brilliant runs on the very days we most 

 wish them — days when strangers are out, or people 

 have come a long w'ay. Truly, sportsmen are a 

 happy race, they have much to be thankful for, and 

 little, very little, to complain of. Who has not seen 

 " splendid runs " on days when hunting appeared to 

 be almost out of the question? Again, we often 

 think that men ride harder on occasional days, such 

 as Lord Evergreen is now going to take, than they 

 do in a regular four or five days a-week course of 

 hunting. The extra excitement sends them along. 



If it be true, as asserted by Dr. Johnson, that " the 

 true state of every nation is the state of common life," 

 who is so likely to be acquainted with the real wants 

 and condition of a country as a foxhunting nobleman ? 

 He brings the experience of other climates, and the 

 benefits of education to bear upon the absolute 

 condition of the unexpecting, unprepared peasantry. 

 The foxhunter is the man of all others to get accurate 

 information, for he wanders about, without pomp or 

 terror, and is welcomed rather than avoided by any. 

 Take your commissioner, with his solemn look, inkey 

 fingers or metallic-pencilled note-book ; is he so likely 



