152 THE QUORN HUNT 



groom on him. He was a great big thoroughbred one, 

 but there was something sulky-looking about his head. 

 Sir Harry had ridden him during the first part of the 

 day, and his appearance was such as to make my friend 

 inquire if he often came home in that state ? A person 

 standing by said, ' Not often so bad as that, but I 

 remember being in the yard on one day when Sir Harry 

 rode in on the same horse and in much the same state, 

 and on my remarking it he said, "Yes, old" (I forget 

 the horse's name) "has been at his old tricks again; 

 he has been eleven times on his head to-day.' ' The 

 writer then moralised : " Now when you consider that 

 this gallant horseman could have the pick of the best 

 horses, money being no object, it does seem strange that 

 he should ride such a vicious brute ; but he has nerve 

 enough for anything. This horse was a capital hunter 

 when he was in the humour." 



Sir Harry Goodricke, whose liberality and kindly 

 manner endeared him to all, had, since his accession to 

 the mastership, so completely thrown his whole heart 

 and soul into hunting the country, and had expressed 

 himself as desirous of making so many improvements, that 

 the era of short masterships which had so prevailed since 

 the death of Mr. Meynell was regarded as over. Had 

 all been well, these expectations would doubtless have 

 been verified ; but shortly after the close of the season 

 1832-33 there came over the Quorn country what was 

 rightly called "a thundering blow to fox-hunting," that 

 thundering blow being nothing less than the unexpected 

 death of Sir Harry Goodricke. He was one of those 

 happy men for whom each season as it came round pre- 

 sented an attraction. When the hounds had met for the 

 last time in England, it was his custom to go to his estate 

 in Ireland, where he indulged in otter-hunting (of which 

 sport he was passionately fond), until the grouse-shooting 

 in August called him to Scotland, where he remained 



