134 SPORTING REMINISCENCES [1825 to 



Mr. Farquharson's hounds, he told me he was 

 not. ' He is the first of his family, sir,' said 

 he, l that ever was in our line.' 



a Mr. Villebois is very popular in Hamp- 

 shire, as the abundance of foxes, and the re- 

 spect shown to him, will amply testify. His 

 deportment in the field is extremely gentleman- 

 like ; at the same time that there is a firmness 

 of character about him which never fails to 

 add authority to command — the consequence 

 of which is, that I never saw less mischief done 

 to hounds than his generally experience. Like 

 many other masters of hounds, Mr. Yillebois 

 was never a forward rider ; but, from his 

 knowledge of the country, and being well 

 mounted, he is seldom wide of his hounds, 

 and he is an excellent judge of hunting, and 

 everything belonging to that noble science. 

 He has two brothers very well known in the 

 sporting world ; one of them, Mr. Henry 

 Villebois, as a first-rate coachman, and the 

 other, Mr. Frederick Yillebois, who resides in 

 the Craven country, as an excellent sports- 

 man, and a very good rider to hounds. 



" I have more than once chosen the latter 

 for my pilot in strange and awkward countries, 

 and never repented of my choice. Despite of 

 the country — which I shall hereafter describe 



