220 HUNTING. 



kindly take notice of that hound. He is the most valuable 

 animal in the pack, and I would not have him ridden over for 

 anything.' The gentleman courteously, and very candidly, 

 replied, ' I would do anything to oblige you, Sir Richard ; 

 but I have a shocking bad memory for hounds, and / am 

 afraid he 2vill have to take his chaiice 7vith the rest !^ "Whether 

 such shamelessness would be confessed to-day we cannot 

 decide, but it is not impossible it might be practised.^ 



In the less fashionable quarters of this fine country there is 

 quite as good fun, and stiU better sport. There is plenty of 

 grass to gallop over and plenty of fences to jump, of all sorts 

 and sizes ; the fields are more amenable to discipline ; the foxes 

 are said to be stouter ; while the hounds remain the same ! On 

 the south, along the Cottesmore boundary between Grantham 

 and Folkingham is some good grass country and well fenced, 

 with plenty of timber, but no water to speak of. Northwards 

 from Folkingham, past Aswarby, the ploughs are more frequent ; 

 but they carry a good scent in wet weather, and foxes are many 

 and stout. Tending still north, beyond Sleaford, from Ranceby 

 on to Leadenham, the land is lighter, being of a heathy com- 

 plexion, and fenced mostly with stone walls, over which 

 the hounds get very much the better of the horses. West 

 of Leadenham, which is one of the boundaries between the 

 Belvoir and the Blankney, lies another fine stretch of grass, 

 and then, turning south towards Belvoir, comes some very deep 

 plough with some very stiff fences, perhaps about the hardest 

 part to cross of all the Duke's country when the scent is good. 

 Horses of all sorts, then, are wanted to ride up to the Belvoir 

 hounds : timber jumpers, water jumpers, fast ones, stout ones, 

 blood and bone ; and, above all, a good head and a good heart 

 for the rider. 



The glory of the Quorn dates from 1753, when the im- 

 mortal Meynell began his mastership of forty-seven years. 



1 This hound belonged to the Badminton kennel. This gentleman, in the 

 following month of May, went there for Bath Races. In spite of his reply, he 

 took so much notice of the hound that in the Icennel he picked it out of forty 

 couple. — Editor. 



