Farewell to the Belvoir. 355 



be expected, in consequence of the hard and dry state 

 of the ground, which caused the close of the season 

 to be somewhat premature, and, to an extent unsatis- 

 factory. 



I know of nothing better calculated to elevate the 

 spirits than a drive along a good road at a racing pace, 

 consequently ^^my bosom^s lord sits lightly on his 

 throne ^^ as I whirl through the stony streets of 

 Melton, and mount the steep hill that leads to Thorpe 

 Arnold ; then, my horse having settled down into 

 a slingmg trot, I rapidly overhaul some of the laggards 

 who are wending their way to the Park. Here is 

 Major Paynter on a handsome thoroughbred, looking, 

 as he trots quickly along, very much as if the going 

 had been heavy across the brown-holland the night 

 before. 



Arriving at the village of Waltham I find it all 

 alive j there stands Lady Florence Dixie^s " four-in- 

 hand,^^ the ponies looking as if they had been made 

 to go the pace, as in fact they generally do ; several 

 other empty carriages, sundry grooms in charge of 

 hacks which appeared to have been galloped full tilt 

 from Melton, and, in the distance, a group of well- 

 known men steadily trotting along, which satisfied 

 me that, notwithstanding the delay in my start, I 

 should not be too late to witness the performances of 

 the day. Turning into the lane that leads to Croxton 

 Park, but a few minutes elapsed ere I reached the 

 course of yesterday^ so late the sceue of noise, bustle, 

 and excitement, now dreary, dull, deserted ; and then 

 I gaze on scenes of past delight without my wonted 

 pleasure, and turn with disgust from the debris of 

 of the day before — empty bottles, broken glass, dirty 



23—2 



