98 The PyicJiley Hitnt^ Past and Present, [chap. m. 



ing all things^ was better tliaii might have been expected^ 

 the country again became vacant at the end of the same 

 season. 



Though Jack Stevens's acquirements in the science of 

 hunting might have been said to touch the point of *^ un- 

 qualified nescience/' he was an excellent first Whip, a 

 brilliant rider, and much liked by everybody. The price 

 given for the kennel-horses at that particular period of 

 the P.H. annals, ranged between 25Z. and 30^. Mounted 

 one day on one of these costly animals, waiting for the 

 hounds to emerge from their kennel, Jack Stevens said to 

 a farmer near him, " They say that these horses can't 

 jump, let's try this one ;'^ and suiting the action to the 

 word, he popped him over the five-barred gate leading 

 into the little field adjoining the road, as if it had been 

 nothing more formidable than a sheep-tray. In 1824, 

 when first Whip to the Quorn Hunt, he broke a blood- 

 vessel, but only laid by for a few days, saying '' that it 

 was no use living if he could not ride to hounds.'^ Never 

 really strong after this, he died at Brixworth in 1837 

 at the early age of forty -two. The Northampton 

 Herald thus writes of him : ^' It has never been our lot 

 to record the demise of r man more sincerely regretted 

 than poor vStevens. He had numerous masters, and served 

 them all faithfully and well. We have our doubts about 

 his ever becoming a good Huntsman : as a Whipper-in 

 he was first-rate, indeed stood unrivalled. He had a 

 remarkably quick eye to hounds, and a fine hand and 

 seat on his horse. It was delightful to see him cross the 

 big grass-fields in the Harbro' country ; and the ease 

 with which he encountered the big fences that came in 

 his way. But great as Jack's pace was, the unerring 



