124 THE DAILY LIFE OF OUR FAEM. 



period, no less than immediate sorrow and sickness of 

 heart. 



September, 1867. 



In quest of fresh ideas for the improvement of 

 practice and the enrichment of pocket I set off duly 

 for a week's hot study amidst the stock and machinery 

 of the Bury show-yard. It was, indeed, hard sultry 

 work ; and if it had not been for the repeated pleasure 

 of falling in with old friends, and a frequent drain of 

 the sherry and claret flasks which kind-hearted exhi- 

 bitors kept for the encouragement of customers' wearied 

 spirits, it might have been hard times with our ex- 

 cellent self The absence of the cattle classes took 

 away much of the interest that usually attaches to 

 the bucolic part of the scene. The pigs were cubic in 

 form, and fragrant as ever, alongside their sticky meal 

 troughs. The Black Diamonds were forward as their 

 best friends could wish upon the prize list. Of sheep, 

 the Southdown classes were superb ; at the same time 

 I protest against Lord Walsingham's sort being con- 

 sidered to have the true character that Ellman loved 

 about the head. The nose he approved was straight 

 — Grecian, if we, may borrow an illustration from the 

 human feature, rather than Roman. The Goodwood 

 ewes, with their oval frames, long lashes that gave 

 their grey eyes a dreamy look, and gentle faces all 

 thickly nightcapped with soft wool, are beautiful to 

 behold, as their flesh is delicious to eat beyond all 

 other. 



To enjoy it, however, in its sweetest, juiciest state, 

 it is the meat of a three years old maiden ewe that 

 you should kill for the table. " It will eat like a 



