126 THE CREAM OF LEICESTERSHIRE. [Season 



again, auj more than we can look back upon its like. For two 

 months we have had sport almost incessant, and oftentimes 

 superlatively brilliant. We have had but one tiny stoppage under 

 ** the tyi-annous breathing of the north," an acceptable breath- 

 ing time, too, which " shook our buds from growing " for four 

 days only. The groimd has been ever warm to carrj' a scent 

 and fii-m against hoof pressm*e, with autumn rains still latent 

 under the surface to maintain its properties and qualities. And 

 save on occasions marked and soKtary, there has been a blessed 

 absence of that baneful foe, wind, so that even on days 

 dubbed indifferent, as measured by their standard of spoil, it 

 has been j^leasant to hunt. Nor can I see a single drawback to 

 such a balmy open season, even by casting aside the cloak of 

 selfishness, and donning that of charity. Besides, you can make 

 merry, you can eat and diink your fill as becomes the occasion 

 just as freely at sucli time as if surrounded by frost and snow. 

 Nay, rather you have a present constant source of merriment 

 and converse — a common tlullling subject of interest and 

 excitement to maintain hilarity. Nor is it a mean consideration 

 that even the most combined attack of Moet and Lafitte will 

 fall powerless, when a man is doing his seven hours daily in 

 the saddle. That the New Year may follow worthily in the 

 stejDS of its predecessor is the best we wish it ; but even 

 should its infancy be petulant or fanciful, we can still withhold 

 a grumble till tired of reflecting on the immediate past. 



Boxing Day in Leicestershire was held in Baggrave Hall, 

 and as universally attended as if by conscription. So far from 

 attempting to say who was present, I would ask the question, 

 " Who was absent ? " Certainly no one of small or great 

 degree, from within a radius of a dozen miles, who could raise 

 or share a quadruped. I have seen large meets of the Quorn 

 before, many Fridays, and some few Clmstmas gatherings ; 

 yet never have I seen such an army — such a census I may 

 almost say — as to-da}', when the horsemen exceeded a half 

 thousand, and vehicles brought their hundreds into action. A 

 kindly multitude it was, though, assembled, high and low, Avith 



