2 The Old Surrey Fox Hounds 



People do not speak of Surrey with rapture as a glorious 

 "galloping" country. It is, let us admit, rather cramped, 

 hilly in parts, and "provincial." Even so, it has supplied 

 a great deal of genuine sport for centuries past, and its 

 enthusiasm has never been allowed to grow dim. Such 

 divine afflatus deserves to be suitably celebrated ; and, if 

 that be not done now, it is not likely to be done at all — 

 chiefly, perhaps, on account of the expense. Hunting 

 heroes, too, do not live for ever. 



Natives of Surrey are proud of their sporting history. 

 For hundreds of years past, sport has been of primary con- 

 sideration here, especially hunting — though we must also 

 remember that our greatest race, the Derby, is one of the 

 local functions — and Surreyites have not been slow to take 

 full advantage of their incomparable opportunities. They 

 have usually been keen as mustard after fox. Their 

 records, singularly quaint, vivid, and interesting, are surely 

 worth preservation. Hence, we are pleased to step into 

 the breach, armed at all points, so to speak, eager to score 

 with both barrels, not necessarily shocked by the prospect 

 of a " purler," and conscious that we are working in a 

 noble cause — to wit, the cause of sport. 



Hunting in Surrey is, as hinted, an exceedingly ancient 

 institution. That its origin is lost in the mists of antiquity 

 is conceded by more than one explorer who has tried to 

 get at the heart of the mystery. For ourselves, we can- 

 not go back further, with certainty, than about the year 

 1750, when a Mr. Gobsall — probably a citizen of credit 

 and renown — had what are now the Old Surrey Fox 



