SOME WELL-KNOWN SUPPORTERS. 237 



asked him if he thought it was permissible for an archbishop 

 to ride? 'Yes, your Grace,' replied the wit, 'provided he 

 ' does not ride too well.' It is needless to add that Arch- 

 bishop Harcourt was a fine horseman. 



A name which must not be omitted from this chapter 

 is that of the late Mr. Brady Nicholson, of Stourton Grove, 

 Mr. Nicholson came of a hard-riding Lincolnshire family, 

 anci was as good a sportsman as ever buckled on a spur. 

 Many years ago I had a slight acquaintance with him, when 

 he used to judge at horse-shows. He was a fine judge, and 

 a fine horseman, always in front and often alone. I have 

 not been able to gather any particulars about him, but an 

 anecdote about his brother. Field Nicholson, may perhaps 

 be interesting. Field Nicholson, who lived at Melton Ross, 

 was a prominent man with Lord Yarborough's hounds, 

 and very hard. He was also very friendly with Charles 

 Dickens, whose acquaintance he had made at Harrogate ; 

 and some of my readers may care to know that it was 

 from Field Nicholson's house, at Melton Ross, that Dingley 

 Dell was drawn. But this by the way. Field Nicholson, 

 C. Dowson, the late G. Nelson, and one or two others, 

 amongst whom I believe was the late Capt. Skipworth, went 

 to have a day with the Burton when Lord Henry Bentinck 

 hunted that country. The North Lincolnshire contingent 

 were 'on the ride,' — that goes without saying-, — and un- 

 fortunately there was only a catchy scent. Field Nicholson 

 consequently was frequently rather nearer to hounds than 

 he should have been, and this provoked Lord Henry 

 Bentinck's ire, which, by the way, was no very difficult 

 matter. Turning to William Nicholson, of Willoughton, 

 who was one of the most prominent farmers in the Burton 

 Hunt, and was a 'right-hand man' with Lord Henry, he 

 asked, 'Who is that red-faced fool, Nicholson ? ' ' Nicholson, 

 ' my Lord,' was the reply. ' A disgrace to the name ! a 



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