The Sport of Our Ancestors 



as extraordinary and perilous situations as the imagination 

 of man could have conceived. Fiction, however, was not 

 resorted to, every scene being a real one ; and the Count — 

 the delight of the Meltonians — carried them to his own 

 country, on his return, together with some English mares 

 to produce hunters, having had a good taste of the breed. 

 He was mounted by Mr. Tilbury, a celebrated horse-dealer 

 in London, who found him a stud of eight horses for the 

 season, for the moderate sum of one thousand pounds, in- 

 cluding every contingent expense, even to the turnpike 

 gates. Count Bathyany is a resident at Melton ; Counts 

 Hahn and Basse witz, from Germany, spent part of one season 

 there ; and Count Matuchevitch, the Russian Minister, is 

 residing there now. His Excellency has ten hunters of his 

 own, rides hard, and is much esteemed by the Meltonians, 

 and all sportsmen in the neighbourhood.^ During the visit 

 of Don Miguel to the Duke of Wellington at Strathfieldsay, 

 a few years back, he went out with the Vine hounds (late 

 Mr. Chute's), to which His Grace is a subscriber. He rode 



1 Several French sportsmen have lately visited Leicestershire ; the best 

 performed of them, perhaps, is M. Normandie. M. de Vaublan and M. 

 d'Hinnisdale have both had a taste of Melton ; and, in 1834, the last-named 

 gentleman spent the winter at Leamington, in Warwickshire. This was 

 the year in which M. Vaublan was in Leicestershire, where, although very 

 indifferently mounted by Tilbury, and experiencing many falls, he was almost 

 always to be seen at the finish of a good run. At all events, he went as long 

 as his horse could go, and was considered a very good horseman. M. de 

 Normandie has hunted much, both in Leicestershire, Warwickshire, and 

 Dorsetshire, being at this time domiciled at Catestock, in the latter county, 

 the headquarters of Mr. Farquharson's hunt, with three thorough-bred young 

 ones in his stud — namely, Ciudad, Rouncival, and Rodrigo — which, no doubt, 

 will soon become perfect in his hands, for no man need have better. 



162 



