222 HUNTING. 



mustlift^ and lose no time if you 7ua7it runs in Leicestershiix with 

 those big fields.'' One quality, however, he had, sure to have 

 been appreciated by those big eager fields ; ' he was always 

 for being away as quick as possible.' It was his maxim that 

 the best fox always broke first ; and after the first that broke 

 off he would go, often with only three or four couples of 

 hounds. This, no doubt, entailed a tremendous burst, but at 

 the first check as often as not the run was spoiled. ' The 

 Squire 'seems to have been still more 'uncertain.' ' He was 

 the oddest man you ever saw at a covert-side. He would talk 

 for an hour : then he would half draw, and talk again, and 

 often blow his horn when there was no manner of occasion — 

 always so chaffy.' But he is allowed to have been ' very keen 

 of the sport,' and to have got away with his fox ' like a shot ; ' 

 while, for sheer riding, of his great rival Dick vowed ' no man 

 that ever came into Leicestershire could beat Mr. Smith ; I 

 don't care what any of them says.' 



Lord Southampton followed ' the Squire.' He bought the 

 Oakley pack in 1829, which was then in high repute, built new 

 kennels at Leicester, and the hounds were called after his name 

 instead of by their own title. To him succeeded Sir Harry 

 Goodricke, and the hounds took his name, which indeed was 

 but fair, seeing that he paid all expenses out of his own pocket. 

 He too built new kennels at Thrussington, midway between 

 Melton and Leicester, and a much more convenient place than 

 the latter. His early death in 1833 left the hounds to Mr. 

 Francis Holyoake, who subsequently took the name of Good- 

 ricke. In his time a part of the Quorn country was handed over 

 to the second Marquis of Hastings, who had started a pack to 

 hunt the Donnington country, pretty much that now hunted by 

 Lord Ferrers. Two seasons were enough for Mr. Holyoake, and 

 three for Mr. Errington. His next successor. Lord Suffield, who 

 followed, spent a great deal of money, building new kennels 

 and stabling at Billesdon, and giving Mr. Lambton 3,000 

 guineas for his hounds. But the sport, for some cause or 

 another, was not equal to the cost, and after one season he 

 gave place to Mr. Hodgson of Holderness fame, who brought 



