CHAP. III.] '' Gmger^^ Stubbs. 105 



Another of the good riders of these days — perhaps the 

 best of all — was the Hon. Wilbrahara Tollemache, a 

 member of Lord Chesterfield^s suite, who could not find 

 it in his heart to play second fiddle to any man when the 

 most harmonious of all music was filling the air. Any 

 one within hail of him had at all times the satisfaction 

 of feeling that he was as near the hounds as he ought to 

 be. 



An individual much en evidence in a Pytchley field 

 at this date was the well-known '* Ginorer Stubbs." In 

 appearance_, manner, and habits, no one ever earned the 

 title of ^^ sporting-looking cove " more than this some- 

 what notorious gentleman. Dapper and neat as a new 

 pin from head to foot_, always wearing a faultless white 

 linen scarf, and with clothes fitting to perfection, he bore 

 with him that caveat emptor air which seemed to say 

 *' beware." A good horseman with plenty of nerve, Lis 

 chief delio-ht in huutino- seemed to consist in ridino- over 

 big places in cold blood. What hounds were doing was 

 to him a matter of comparative indifference, but a double 

 post and rail or a wide piece of water were temptations 

 not to be resisted with a " gallery '' looking on. The 

 vision of this gentleman riding at two rails with a young 

 '^ quick " between, on a horse of his friend Billy Russell, 

 comes before the writer as though it were yesterday. 

 The fence was in one of the big grass-fields between 

 Kelmarsh and Clipston, and though hounds were only 

 on their way to draw, the wide place and the large field 

 were impulses not to be withstood. The far rail brought 

 horse and rider to grief ; and though '^ the gallery " in- 

 dulged in uncomplimentary remarks as to the folly of 

 the " show-off,''' it was felt that the pluck of the attempt 



