232 HISTORY OF THE BR AM HAM MOOR HUNT. 



' and the most unselfish one, in the true sense of the word, 

 'that he had ever met.' 



This seems a fitting place to insert a spirited hunting 

 poem, which, though it treats of the York and Ainsty, 

 contains allusions to most of the sportsmen who were well 

 known in the Bramham Hunt at the time : — 



The Second Edition of a Poem by F. Ford, Esq., 



revised and enlarged by a brother sportsman. 



The wind is at east, but seems surely to know 



That courtesy bids that it scarcely should blow, 



When the rest of the elements kindly conspire 



For once to give vent to the fox-hunting fire 



That burns in the breasts of the crowds that tiock in, 



When the Ainsty are drawing Swann's favourite Whin. 



High beats every heart, yet there breathes not a sound, 



"Save Chanter, who challenged: says Wilson, 'He's found.'" 



Then Restless and Dimity join in the cry, 



Nor the gallant fox needs further notice to fly. 



'Gone away,' echoes high o'er the crash of the throng, 



And hounds, horses and riders are streaming along ; 



But the Muses, alas ! so ill-natured are grown. 



That they won't lend their horse, and we've none of our own ; 



So we e'en must recount what we can, standing" still. 



And sketch some of the talent from Bilbrough Hill. 



One who knows what a start is, leads off in the chase, 



And defies all the field to take from him his place. 



A vain-glorious boast, though, he silently feels, 



Whilst Thompson and Somerville press on his heels ; 



Ah ! too surely they'll give him the slip unawares. 



For his black is no match for their flying grey mares ; 



And thin as he is, they'll e'en say he'll look thinner, 



From the loss of his rest and the spoiling his dinner. 



Half a field wide, see Gilbert, with natural grace, 



" O'ertopping each fence, and securing his place";* 



* The lines in inverted commas are in the original edition. The rest is 

 from the pen of Air. J. T. Fairfax, of Newton Kyme. 



