Lord Ferrers'. 287 



inferred " Pleased to hear you enjoyed yourselves 

 so much. Very glad ive weren^t there/^ For they of 

 the hard riding and highly dressed school, except such 

 as had known the Marquis of Hastings^ mastership — 

 or even that of Mr. Story — had a vague notion that 

 they were only being told of some rough-and-tumble 

 run in Charnwood Forest. It was never explained 

 that above and beyond this Forest lay a corner where 

 hounds showed a great deal of good and open sport. 

 Nor was it of interest to them to inquire. The scene 

 lay beyond their reach, and — with six days' pastime 

 awaiting them at their doors — beyond their covet. 

 It is the close propinquity of the grass countries that 

 prevents an unpretentious little country such as Lord 

 Ferrers^ ever aspiring to fame. It will not bear com- 

 parison with its nearest neighbours : and comparison 

 is not likely to be pushed much further for an 

 estimate. And yet it is as a whole a far superior 

 country to half of the main Quorn territory — which, 

 in rock and slate, forest and light plough, offers a 

 contrast extraordinary and appallmg, to the pastures 

 upon which that Hunt founds its reputation and its 

 boast. With Lord Ferrers foxes are found, and 

 killed, on fair open soil, where you may ride to 

 hounds all the time, throw your leaps without peril, 

 and see all that is going on. In the Quorn Forest 

 and its outlying woods you are often fain to rest 

 satisfied with the knowledge that hounds are hard at 

 work somewhere in the neighbourhood, and that during 

 the many mauvais quarts d'Jieure which you spend 

 without a single sight of them, they are labouring 

 gallantly towards an end. To render this knowledge 



