174 HINTS TO horsemen; or, 



by far the finest horse, and turned out one of the 

 best and fastest hunters I ever possessed ; but "angels 

 and ministers of grace " defend us from a leader from 

 my Lord Mayor's coach ! 



IsTotwithstanding my having taken somewhat of a 

 liberty with the cortege of the great city representative, 

 as also with his taste as regards it, there may have 

 been hunting lord mayors, for all I know, nor is there 

 any reason there should not be again ; this I can 

 vouch for, there has been a sporting sheriff, for I 

 knew him. He hunted, and kept a horse or two that 

 could run a bit ; moreover, he sometimes rode them 

 himself, and I well remember seeing him ride at 

 some races that were got up on Hounslow Heath; he 

 cut rather a singular figure there, for he rode in an 

 oil-skin jacket, a somewhat unusual dress, no doubt, 

 but it rained, and I suppose this jacket was kept for 

 such contingencies; many laughed at this, but in 

 wearing it, the sporting sheriff showed his good sense, 

 by doing what probably but few of the laugliers would 

 have done, and what few persons have sense enough 

 to do on ordinary occasions — namely, he set custom 



