148 The Trotter. 



and now determined to wait till Mr. West came home, and let 

 matters take their course. 



Like all good stablemen, this man was remarkably civil. He took 

 me into the saddle-room, which, of course, was as well appointed 

 and in as good order as the stables, took me to see the greyhound- 

 kennel, and after that showed me the most magnificent brace of 

 heavy pointers I had ever looked at. In fact, whatever might be the 

 internal arrangements of the old Grange, the sporting appointments 

 were complete, and everything I saw bespoke the sporting tastes of 

 the owner. Every fowl (except a few of the sweetest little spangled 

 bantams) were thorough game, and the man pointed out to me a 

 magnificent "ginger pile" which had been champion in a main 

 at Nottingham the year before. Every pigeon we saw was a fancy 

 bird of some strain or other. Two tame foxes were kennelled in 

 the yard. The coach-house door was covered with pads and 

 muzzles, while three or four gilt plates on the stable-door proved 

 that it was not alone hunters and trotters that had come out of these 

 stables. 



I did not care to go into the house till the owner came home, so 

 I thought I would amuse myself while waiting for him by a stroll 

 round the premises. I went down a long flight of stone steps which 

 led from the back of the house into what had once been a splendid 

 garden, now a perfect wilderness. Originally it had been laid out 

 with the greatest taste and care ; now you could not distinguish the 

 flower-beds from the walks. I never saw so sad a picture of gross 

 neglect, and the further I strolled the more I grieved to think what 

 this place might be in any other hands than those of the present 

 owner. It was the same over all 



" Nightshade, on each border glowing, 

 Said a rose might here be blowing, 

 If I left her room to grow in. 



Fruit-trees tottered to their fall, 

 And their virtue sapped with ivy. 

 Here and there an empty hive I 

 Saw, but not a bee alive ; I 



Found the wasps had killed them all." 



