1 54 ^/^^ PytcJiley Htmt, Past and Present. 



mined to keep ou the line of the liounds, he was often 

 heard to say that ^' he could not understand why people 

 went out hunting if they did not mean to ride straight." 

 Whilst enunciatiDg this opinion, little did he remember 

 that out of the many who in the winter-time choose to 

 take their pleasuring in a hunting-country, not one in 

 twenty-five cares for anything but the sociability — the 

 spice of swagger — the air and exercise. Let a decree go 

 forth that all the (hunting) world shall be taxed accord- 

 ing to individual performance with hounds — that the 

 " Customer ^' should pay lightly — and the " Funker " be 

 mulcted in proportion to his funkiness, how many would 

 remain to send in a return to the tax-collector ? The 

 now too-thickly frequented Meets would be shorn of 

 three-fourths of their numbers, and the non-advertising 

 experiment would give way to extra publicity. Happily 

 it is given to few to believe that in their case ^' nerve ^' 

 is an unknown quantity. They see very plainly that 

 poor Shufiier is a terrible muff, and scarcely refrain from 

 uncomplimentary criticisms on his style of riding; but 

 they are more or less blind to the mote that is in their 

 own eye. After dinner, such as these, on the third or 

 fourth circular journey of the decanter of port or claret, 

 almost persuade themselves that they '^ will have a cut 

 at some big brook ^' on the morrow, and the feeling 

 " crescit bibendo ^' — but on the morrow^s advent the 

 distant bridge is irresistible. The ^' P.H."" has not been 

 without some remarkable examples of members troubled 

 with ^'' jumpophobia.^^ Many remember an ex-captain 

 of a distinguished infantry regiment, who, hunting from 

 Northampton for seven consecutive years, was never 

 seen to jump but once. On this occasion a line of 



