1877—78.] SUNNY FEBRUARY. 229 



lie had no escape, Avhile X. pursued his wa^-, and his fox — free 

 for a time from both of his enemies. 'J'he scent was exactl}' of 

 that ch\ss that hounds wanted room. Room given they couhl 

 have gone very fast. Hampered as they were, they could j^et 

 afford what is best defined as a " quick hunting run." And 

 Avhen hounds run at all over such a country there must needs 

 be fun and merriment for many and most of us. By Barsby, 

 Ashby, and Lowesby, there is nothing but grass, with fences 

 fair and frequent, honest and enticing. When jumping ceases 

 to be a pleasm'e, then Leicestershire has ceased to be the place 

 for us ; and the Downs of the Tedworth or the Brighton 

 Harriers will be our refuge. The thrill of a flying leap is only 

 a iiart of the joy of a good grass country. But it is a very 

 large and leading part ; while our nerve lasts and we are happy 

 in our horseflesh. For like all else in life, it has its provisos 

 and conditions. Circumstance and accident have their full 

 influence upon it ; and the same gauge will not always register 

 a like degree. Ret re fun it is to jump and ride, with a good 

 horse under 3'ou, a light heart within you — with the flush of 

 boisterous health in your cheeks, and head and eye as clear as 

 Amontillado. Reverse the conditions ; word and frame them 

 to embrace a horse that has no confidence in you nor you in 

 him ; call up the demons of late hours, strong tobacco, or 

 whatever may have been the ' agents of deteriorated nerve or 

 inferior health. Forthwith, a jump becomes a necessit}^ a 

 fence is no longer a recreation, but a run with hounds is like 

 a midnight walk through a churchyard. Even if the condition 

 of comparison rests only with the steed, its difterences are 

 forcibk and paljiable enough. You take care not to own to it 

 yourself; but you are quick enough to notice if your friends 

 don't ride their studs all through, in the accepted sense of the 

 term. Two fields and a casual glance will — except, of course, 

 in many brave instances — serve to show you whether theirs is 

 a ride of recreation or of necessity. In the former case 3'OU 

 probably envy them (your own fate being at the moment saddled 

 to the Avorst beast in your stable). In the latter you can 



