402 The Hunting Countries of England, 



ticability. Open water is met with once or twice in 

 almost every run — and, though not as a rule of 

 formidable width, call for a horse that is ready to 

 jump without dwelling whenever he is asked. And, 

 in short, a thorough hunter is needed for the Duke's 

 country — if you would take him over all parts of it. 

 There are several places that hold out advantages as 

 quarters within the limits of the Hunt. Buckingham 

 and Brackley (the former two hours, the latter twenty 

 minutes more, from London) supply a good proportion 

 of the fields in the south of the country ; and are on 

 the borders of the best of the Bicester. Towcester, 

 which it takes you also a couple of hours to reach 

 from town, is right in the middle of the country. 

 Weedon is not only the elysium of the military fox- 

 hunter, who by good luck or management is estab- 

 lished there by Royal command and at the expense of 

 a nation that pays little attention to the desirability 

 of teaching its officers to ride across country ; but is 

 much in favour with the ex-militaire, who, having 

 tasted its sweets during his term of service, continues 

 to indulge himself with them in after life out of his 

 own pocket. Indeed, it would be difficult to point to 

 a better situation than Weedon, for a man who would 

 hunt with first-rate packs and in first-rate country, 

 who yet is unable to afford himself the whole of his 

 time, but must be always within easy journey of 

 London. For Weedon lays the map of the Pytchley 

 at your feet ; has the Duke of Grafton's on the other 

 side, and the Bicester and the Warwickshire, at their 

 best, running close up — while it is less than two hours 

 from Town. The Londoners {i.e., men out for the 



