86 The Hunting Countries of England, 



it to himself (with the most satisfactory results) 

 whether his other half will not find an unlimited 

 source of enjoyment in the Shires. She does 

 not ride much, it is true ; but then she can drive to 

 the meets, and see as much society there in a morning 

 as she could elsewhere in a week. The advantage 

 is so evident, that he does not hesitate to appeal to 

 his cara sposa to endorse his conclusion, and is rather 

 startled to find that her delight somewhat hangs fire. 

 So he probably remembers that this is the very moment 

 he ought to have been out of doors with a cigar; 

 and a week afterwards has learned from his agents 

 that they cannot possibly find him a house elsewhere, 

 and that it would be madness to lose such an oppor- 

 tunity as the ^^ bijou residence within a few miles of 

 the Quorn kennels/^ &c. So of necessity he moves 

 down to Leicestershire for better — or for worse, if, a, 

 stranger to the country, he has been beguiled by 

 his agents into the depths of Chamwood Forest, as 

 being "in the heart of the Quorn country." If he 

 has avoided the latter fate, he is now on the spot, to 

 hunt according to his means — or beyond them. The 

 measure of horses he allows himself, eat no more here 

 than in an inferior country, while they give him in- 

 finitely more fun. As for the days he stops at home, 

 he is to be pitied if he cannot find occupation in the 

 resources at his command. At Melton, on the other 

 hand (at all events as an unprotected bachelor), a. 

 day's absence from the hunting field — the weather 

 being open — will not only be prolonged agony in 

 itself, but an evening among more fortunate comrades 

 cannot but oppress and mortify the spirit — kindly^ 



