FRESH AS IMPORTED. 37 



I am not quite clear but that tlie first suggestion 

 of publishing the result of my experience arose 

 from the following recollection. 



Hunting with the old Berkley, an old dog-fox 

 in the Clicketting season was found near Bea- 

 consfield, and gave us such a straight twister to 

 the neighbourhood of the good town of Amer- 

 sham, as left the field '^few and far between." 

 A stranger was out, spicy in all his appurte- 

 nances, quite correct, but new. He was mounted 

 on a really magnificent chesnut horse, in shape, 

 make, and style of going a hunter all over. He 

 evidently knew his business, while it shortly 

 became equally apparent that his master did not. 

 He was a man of perhaps fortj^, a good-humoured 

 looking soul, and no W'ant of quaintness in his 

 expression of countenance, yet perfectly unas- 

 suming in his carriage and manner. I, like 

 others, addressed the stranger, and made my in- 

 troduction by wdiat seldom fails to meet courteous 

 reception; namely, admiring his horse, who 

 justly merited my encomiums in all things save 

 one, his condition. Fine he was in his coat, 

 fresh on his legs, and in high spirits and vigour, 

 but the condition spoke of the dealers, not the 

 hunting stable. 



The hounds were scarcely in cover before one 

 threw his tongue. The cheer of the huntsman 

 showed the challenge came from one to be 



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