A Week at Melton. 



31 



lodgings, Captain Atkinson on a visit to Lord Caring- 

 ton, Mr. Powell at the Lodge which he has rented for 

 the season from Sir Francis Grant, Mr. Younger at 

 Craven Lodge, Captain Smith, of steeplechase fame, 

 and a bruiser to hounds ; Mr. Chaplin at Brooksby, 

 Captain Elmhurst, Mrs. Stanley, Colonel and Mrs. 

 Markham, their sons and two daughters, in the town ; 

 Captain Hartopp at Little Dalby Hall, Mr. Chaplin 

 and family at Wyndham Lodge, Captain and Mrs. 

 Molyneux, etc. — forming the creiiie de la creme of the 

 visitors to the " Metropolis,^^ the great charm of which 

 is that hunting can be obtained from it every day in 

 the week ; and I may say, without fear of contradic- 

 tion, that no town in the world can show such an 

 assembly. Where else could one see such a bevy of 

 sportswomen ? Lady Wilton, who goes steadily and 

 well; Lady Florence Dixie, who, across the grass, 

 knows neither fear nor doubt, and apparently has 

 never heard of mistrust, if I may judge by the way 

 she handles her horse when he goes short at his 

 fences, and a lady, it is quite clear, who will brook no 

 refusal ; Miss Chaplin on the " Stiff Un,^' who goes 

 the pace ; Mrs. Stanley, as neat as if she was just 

 turned out of a bandbox, but hard, very hard, across 

 country ; Lady Grey de Wilton, who seldom misses a 

 day's hunting, her favourite horse being a sight to 

 behold, and a sufficient warranty of good going ; the 

 Misses Markham, who are to be found in the first 

 flight ; Mrs. Molyneux, a slasher ; and several others 

 of whom my limited time did not allow me to form an 

 opinion. 



An eminently quiet and prosperous place is Melton 

 Mowbray, which is described in ancient writings as a 



