LADY FOXHUNTERS 287 



assertion, that " he'll come the next time he's asked," meaning 

 that they won't give him another chance, which most likely 

 they don't do until it suits their convenience, when, like Lord 



Byron's lady, who 



" Loves again, 

 To be again undone,'' 



they invite again, to be disappointed a second time. 



Gentlemen, however, may take our word for it, it is no use 

 joking with the ancients about dinner. We have reason to 

 believe that we lost a very stiff legacy from a sturdy old aunt, 

 whom nothing could convince that we were not humbugging 

 about the hounds. We had promised to dine with her to meet 

 old Sir Timothy Grumpington of Grumpington Hall, Gray's 

 Inn Road (a sweet rns in urbe on the left, as you go north), 

 and unfortunately our friend Joseph Lob of Highbury Terrace, 

 offered us a mount with Lord Derby's staggers (for it is long 

 ago, and aunt. Lord Derby, Grumpington, staggers and all, 

 hav'e long been in their graves), which met at the White 

 Lion, Lock's Bottom, whither Lob offered to drive us, and 

 bring us back if we liked. The great merit of staggers un- 

 doubtedly is the certainty of a gallop, and the pretty near 

 certainty where you will finish ; but, on this provoking day, 

 the insensate creature seemed to have had a turn for visiting 

 every part of the country ; and north, south, east, and west, 

 were equally favoured with his presence ; the consequence of 

 which was, our aunt was not favoured with ours for three- 

 quarters of an hour after the appointed time, when we found 

 Sir Timothy Grumpington with half-appeased appetite, but 

 wholly unappeased mind, and aunt in that direful state of 

 excitement that old ladies invariably are whose whole dinner 

 has been spoiled by long waiting. People should be all in the 

 same boat who sit down to a long-delayed dinner. 



But let us hark back to Henrietta, Sir Rasper, and Fleecy 

 Hall, for we want to get a glance at the end of the season 



