1845.] OF HAMPSHIRE. 193 



him, took off their hats, which he returned 

 with the old two-fingered salute to his nose. 

 His groom now arrived ; and shortly after the 

 hounds, Sir John Cope, two ladies, and several 

 gentlemen also made their appearance. The 

 Duke was quite the country gentleman, cordial, 

 and intimate with all. First he shook hands 

 with Sir John, then with squire this, and 

 then with squire that ; in fact, he was hand- 

 and-glove with all. We had just the sort of 

 day's sport to please a man like the Duke of 

 Wellington, who, though mighty in the field 

 of war, cuts no great figure in the hunting 

 one. Indeed, to do him all due justice, I have 

 seldom seen a man with less idea of riding 

 than he has. His seat is unsightly in the ex- 

 treme, and few men get more falls in the 

 course of the year than his Grace. Neverthe- 

 less, he seemed to enjoy the thing amazingly, 

 and, what with leading over occasionally and 

 his groom's assistance, he did very well." 



The Duke hunted in trousers, and wore a 

 semi-military costume with hounds for some 

 time ; and it is said that, when first he sported 

 a pair of top-boots, he seemed quite proud of 

 them, and drew Adamson's attention to them. 

 One day when he came to meet the H. H. at 

 Popham Lane, Mr. Wilkinson politely sug- 



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