METEORS. 21 



straight rider, probably, a yoimger man. He 

 scorns to " crane ^^ at anything, and delights in 

 the uncertainty between getting a cold bath and 

 skimming over eighteen feet of water. He must 

 have a flying country, hounds fast as meteors, and 

 huntsmen and whips fast as his hounds. He, as 

 a sportsman, wishes to see his hounds work hand- 

 somely, but ever wishes their work to be racing 

 with " heads up and sterns down ; '^ wdth only 

 time to occasionally throw a tongue. He loves 

 this not from any little or ill-natured feeling 

 towards those not equally mounted or equally 

 gifted, but in a manly waj^ to throw down the 

 gauntlet to those who are. He hunts for fame, 

 rides for fame ; so let it be. Fame is his vitality ; 

 probably his enthusiastic pursuit of it will be 

 sobered by time ; but if it be, the man who has 

 once sought it in all pursuits '' that may become 

 a man,^^ will very rarely indeed be found to do 

 aught that would not. Such are the men Avho 

 ought to enjoy, for they have the zest to enjoy, 

 " the good the gods provide them." Long may 

 they enjoy it ! 



Such a master of hounds will be certain to have 

 everything in accordance with prevailing taste. 

 His dress of the true Melton cut ; his coat, by the 

 most approved artist, is faultless ; his hair and 

 whiskers just as arranged by his French or Swiss 

 valet ; his boots and breeches patterns in their 

 c 3 



