THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 181 



out of his book. It will be worth all the Greek anil 

 Latin you brought with you from Eton.' " 

 So much for the Pytchley Hunt of those days. Not only 



" Those joyous hours are passed away, 

 And many a heart that then was gay," 



has long since ceased to beat, but the master of the 

 pack, after a stout struggle, has been obliged to yield to 

 that common destiny of our nature, which, sooner or 

 later, awaits us all. Peace to his ashes ; his system and 

 himself are gone together. 



During his stay, our young sportsman had one day 

 with the well-known pack of the late justly celebrated 

 Lord Fitzwilliam, whose extensive country embraced 

 parts of Northamptonshire and all Huntingdonshire, 

 besides the Yorkshire woodlands for cub-hunting. The 

 fixture was Stanwick Pastures, one of great note, but far 

 from being one of the best. The scene, however, was 

 such as amused our hero much, since, from being within 

 reach of Cambridge, it reminded him of olden times. In 

 one direction were to be seen knocked-up hacks, broken- 

 down tandems, with the leaders scarcely able to make a 

 walk of it, from the flankings they had received from their 

 rather merciless drivers, in their anxiety to display their 

 art ; in another, four or five of the better sort of college 

 sportsmen, whose finances had allowed of their sending 

 hacks forward overnight, coming along at a good cover-hack 

 pace, without showing distress ; while, just as the fox was 

 found, up drove a post-chaise, at a gallop, with three red- 

 coats inside, and two on the bar ! One or two of these 

 aspirants were well known to Frank Baby, and amongst 

 the lot quite as many as could be expected four or five 

 of them rode well and judiciously to the hounds, through- 

 out a really good run of an hour over a right stiff country. 



Young Raby's next move was to Leicester, where he 

 took up his abode at the "Three Crowns Inn," the 

 principal one of that day, and about as bad as most 

 country inns of that day were found to be. On his road, 

 in his travelling carriage, he amused himself by booking 

 a few of Mr. Warde's sayings and hints, amongst which 

 were the following : 



" Half the goodness of a horse goes in at his mouth. 



"Never buy a horse from a rich man who hunts; or 

 from a poor man, till you have tried him. 



