154 SPORTING PtEMINISCEXCES [1828 to 



A sailor is used to smile at clanger, and thinks 

 nothing of being capsized upon dry land. Sir 

 Sir William "William Hoste has been in Leicester- 

 shire, and can show them how to 

 ride as well as to fight, and we must all allow 

 that ' fas est ab hoste doceri.' 

 Major radge « There are two other gentlemen 



and Captain # ° 



Close. of this Hunt — Major Ridge and Cap- 



tain Close — who, though they spent all their 

 younger clays in India, took care not to leave 

 behind them their passion for fox-hunting. 

 On hearing an excellent view-halloo one day 

 from the former gentleman, Mr. Nunez ex- 

 claimed, ' Could you not swear he was got by 

 a fox-hunter !' The major's father once hunted 

 the Hambleclon country.* 



" I met with a very good old sportsman, 

 who now forms part of Mr. Smith's establish- 

 ment, and who has been an old servant to the 

 oid Win Hambledon hounds, having hunted 

 James. them when my Lord Clanricarde 



and Mr. Powlett had them. He is said to be 

 an excellent judge of hunting ; but was never 

 able to ride well to his hounds, which, of 

 course, was a great disadvantage to him, and 

 perhaps stopped his promotion in life. He 



* Jsimrod is wrong here; the major's father lived at Kilmiston, aud 

 was master of the original H. H. from 1749 to 1795. See page 4. 



