Mr, Richard Combe's. 157 



respect to the profession, quite a majority of its 

 members, if they do not '^ hunt to ride/^ at least look 

 upon the riding as a leading corporate virtue in the 

 composition of foxhunting, and believe that in it is 

 contained the charm, the steel, the very life of the 

 pursuit. Who shall blame them ? Certainly not I. 

 What is the moral that I find deduced from the 

 researches necessary to this long series of sketches ? 

 What is the measure by which the merits of a Hunting 

 Country are gauged — not by an individual scribbler, 

 not by local residents, but by the general public ? 

 As in racing, so with hunting, the public are the best 

 judges. And the public show plainly how they fi.x 

 a comparative scale of merit for the Countries of 

 England. That is the most popular — and therefore 

 that is the best — country, which gives the pleasantest 

 ground to ride over and the hottest scent to ride to. 

 Happily, the two conditions are, more often than not, 

 found conveniently linked together. Blood (if worth 

 anything from its birth) will have its fling — and be 

 young as long as it may. When age has diluted its 

 current and weakened the power of its throb — then 

 is it time to draw rein, and to seek company and 

 pastime more in keeping with staid experience and 

 demure reflection. So argues, not wholly without 

 reason, the spark of chivalry whom destiny has 

 brought to Aldershot. Content to swallow in the 

 summer as many pecks of Long Valley dust as may 

 be deemed needful for his country's good (provided 

 always, and of course, that his season ticket will allow 

 of his washing it down each evening with the pink 

 wine of Piccadilly or Pall Mall), he is yeb only 



