THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 35 



Mr. Somerby. 1 ' I think not. On the contrary, it is my 

 opinion, that any man, under the age of fifty-five, whose 

 frame is naturally sound, who lives temperately as to 

 wine, and who will allow himself eight hours' bed, will 

 be better in health for such severe exercise. It will 

 render him superior to fatigue, and, barring accidents 

 and epidemics, superior also to disease." 



Mr. Baby. " But, Mr. Somerby, I am at a loss to know 

 how you get over such fences as I saw in the country 

 between Harborough and Melton ; many of them 

 appeared impracticable, or ' stoppers,' as I am told they 

 are called in the fox-hunting world." 



Mr. Somerby. "Why, in the language of one of the 

 oldest sportsmen, and hardest riders, in the Belvoir Hunt, 

 we send our hearts over first and then follow them in the best 

 way we can." 



Mr. Raby. " You must get many falls, every year." 



Mr. Somerby. " Of course we do ; but we think nothing 

 of falls. Show me the man who says he never gets them, 

 and I will tell him he seldom sees hounds at least few 

 good runs; and this in any country. But, to quote 

 another of our best men (singulus in arte, I was going to 

 say), 'Falls go for nothing, provided you don't let go 

 your horse ; but a man looks very small, running across a 

 field, in a red coat, booted and spurred, crying out, Stop 

 my horse ! pray, sir, stop my horse ! ' The answer generally 

 is, ' It would be a pity to stop him, sir he is going so 

 beautifully.'" 



Mr. Raby. "I am really ashamed of catechising you 

 thus, but the fact is, exclusive of the pleasure I myself 

 derive from your description, this second boy of mine, 

 whom you saw the other day with my harriers, has a 

 great wish to become a fox-hunter. Let us fill our glasses, 

 drink a bumper to Mr. Meynell and ' the Noble Science,' 

 and then, perhaps, you will have the kindness to give us 

 a short account of a run with his hounds." 



Mr. Somerby. " I will with pleasure comply with your 

 request ; more especially as it is joined in by my young 

 friend there, whose attention to the hunting of your 

 excellent harriers very forcibly struck me. But he must 

 not think lightly of hare-hunting ; Mr. Meynell enters all 

 his young hounds to hare, although he expects them to be 

 steady to fox afterwards ; which will, no doubt, be the 

 case with your promising son. I know not, then, that I 



