PARK AND ROAD RIDING. 79 



upon the line of country taken. Their 

 position is, in my opinion, a most miserable 

 one ; yet they must derive enjoyment from it, 

 else why do they come ? They surely cannot 

 imagine that they are participating in the 

 hunt ; yet it affords them amusement to keep 

 pottering about, and enables them to make 

 their little harmless boast to credulous friends 

 of their '* hunting days,'' and the **runs" 

 they have seen throughout the season. Indeed, 

 so far does this passion for boasting carry the 

 fair sex, that I myself know two young ladies 

 who never saw a hound in their lives, except 

 from the inside of a shabby waggonette, yet 

 who brag in so audacious a manner that they 

 have been heard to declare to gentlemen at 

 evening dances, " Eeally we cawn't dawnce ; 

 we are 50 tired ! Out all day with the Wards 

 — and had such a clipping run ! " 



This sort of thing only makes us smile 

 when we hear it amongst ladies, but when 

 men resort to it we become inspired with 

 sufficient contempt to feel a longing desire to 

 offer them severer chastisement than our 

 derision. 



