Melton : Its Manners and Customs. 231 



the feast of reason and the flow of soul, whicli I 

 believe is tlie proper way to describe an excellent 

 dinner and extremely pleasant company. 



Then having exhausted all the wonders of Melton, 

 let me^ as we ride to cover this bright morning, point 

 out some of the notabilities of the place. First, 

 direct your attention to that neatly-appointed phaeton, 

 drawn by two high- stepping roans, which is convey- 

 ing to the meet a " whipper-in '^ who used to belong' 

 to a noisy and unruly pack, very much given to 

 tongue, prone to division, frequently splitting up, and 

 getting on the line of the wrong fox. Now, he goes 

 at the tail of the Cottesmore or tbe Quorn ; and when 

 he rides with a will at a stiff fence, or tries his hand at 

 a babbling brook, it is all Lombard Street to a China 

 orange that he maintains an even balance. Then note 

 that gentle and joyous cavalier galloping so fleetly to 

 cover on a handy looking hack, who, from the pleas- 

 ing sweetness of his manner, and his habit of sticking 

 close to his saddle, has a strong resemblance to the 

 delicious compound known as sugarcandy. Afterwards 

 observe that exceedingly domestic bird, who is always 

 ready to fly at any game, or to lay against any one, 

 for a matter of that, and if you watch him a little later 

 on, yoii will find that there will not be many to crow 

 over him if he should have a merry little flutter from 

 Ranksborough to Teigh. 



That cheery looking man on the bay horse is an 

 extremely good rider, and when he has his proper 

 bearings, will be found going hammer-and-tongs at 

 his fences — seldom having occasion to cry ^^ bellows to 

 mend," as he is no tinker, but a regular nailer to 

 hounds, and a hard and able performer over a steeple- 



