Some Great Runs with The Old Surrey 59 



he is said to have considered it one of the most enjoyable 

 in which he had ever participated. A contemporary 

 chronicler writes of him : " His idea of hunting was that 

 it is far better than any other sport, and he proved the 

 strength of his convictions by hunting as often as possible. 

 But he did not regard Sunday as necessarily a sort of bye 

 or blank day." 



Oh, those ancient humorists ! They never missed a 

 chance to indulge their idiosyncrasy — preferably at some- 

 body else's expense. 



We have likewise before us a capital account by " The 

 Recorder," of an extraordinary run with the Old Surrey 

 which took place on 19 February, 1857. It was clearly 

 a very " good thing " indeed, and, boiled down judiciously 

 so as to meet the exigencies of our space, the report thus 

 runs on : — 



" The meet was at Nutfield, well known to those 

 subscribers who are true sportsmen, have a good horse, 

 and can ride him. Time being up, that famous veteran 

 c Tom ' called to the dog-pack, and trotted off at his 

 usually fast pace to get clear of inquiring ' gents,' and 

 his hounds safe from fast young gentlemen. After draw- 

 ing the country to Old Park, the hounds were no sooner 

 in covert than a brace of foxes were found. The hounds 

 took up with one fox, and hunted him at a good pace 

 through Tupwood, Godstone Corner, the Ruffits, and 

 back to Old Park, after which reynard boldly flew across 

 the beautiful valley below, thence running some distance 

 parallel with the South Eastern Railway line, which he 



