A FOX-HUNTER OF THE EIGHT SORT. 33 



gave him that speech, nor ever shall. Now, had he 

 been determined not to be beaten, and had told his 

 coachman so, adding to the " keep your coach in 

 front," I will have double sets for you all along the 

 line, I should have admired his spirit instead of de- 

 testing his barbarity. 



Something like this " going in front/' but with a 

 very different spirit, was said by a Master of Fox- 

 hounds to his huntsman, who rode nearly seventeen 

 stone. " Never think of your horse or your pace ; 

 the moment you find one at all distressed, another 

 shall be ready for you ; only show my friends sport, 

 and kill your foxes, and you shall have a fresh horse 

 every three fields if you want him." This was some- 

 thing like : he was really in all things a noble fellow, 

 and, as was said of King Charles, " enjoyed his girl 

 and bottle, and got mellow, and (mind) kept com- 

 pany with gentlemen." 



I know the answer coach-owners would make, and 

 I cannot gainsay the truth of it. " The public like 

 to go fast, and at the per mileage we charge as fares 

 we cannot get a coach along at a fast pace without 

 the cruelty we are accused of." I know this as well 

 as they do : but with whom did this speed originate ? 

 Not with the public. Had all coaches continued to 

 go eight miles an hour, there would have been no 

 patronising one more than another, and at the eight 

 miles the public must have gone: but some coach- 

 master struck out the idea that by going faster he 

 should get a greater share of patronage than his 

 neighbour, and his neighbour was then forced to do 

 the same. These two men perhaps horsed their 

 coaches in so superior a manner that the work could 

 be done in the time without any cruelty to their 



VOL. I. D 



