152 THE HUNTING-FIELD. 



Some persons may call Beeclier now of the old 

 school. This is, however, scarcely the case, for 

 steeple-chasing is all comparatively a 7ieiv school ; 

 but new or old we have had none who could ride 

 better, and where head and hands were wanted, few 

 who could ride as well. Beecher has the rare qua- 

 lity of getting all out of a horse that can be got, 

 and that without any of the butchering many 

 riders so unnecessarily make use of. Few men 

 have ridden more successfully than Beecher, and 

 his success was mainly to be attributed to his 

 head: no man living is a better judge of pace 

 and the powers of a horse than he is : he could 

 punish as severely as any man if necessary ; but 

 I think I will say he never gave a stroke to a 

 horse but when thorough good judgment told him 

 it would be efficacious; nor did he ever give a severe 

 dig of the spur when, in his phrase, ^ a squeeze^ 

 would answer the purpose. True his whiskers 

 are not of their pristine hue, but they are as 

 critically arranged as ever, and his spirits are as 

 buoyant. May both last as long as the recollection 

 of his fine riding will, and long after many of 

 those that have sprung up as riders within the 

 last few years will be forgotten ! 



" But here comes the Master of the hounds, so 

 we will stop our chat, offer our salutations to him, 

 and then attend to our business." 



" But," said my friend, " I have no acquaintance 

 with the gentleman." 



