RIDING RECOLLECTIONS 



it in others, he was conscious and proud of it in 

 himself. 



So jealous was he of this chivalrous quality, 

 that even in such a matter of mere amusement 

 as riding across a country, he seemed to attach 

 some vague sense of disgrace to the avoidance 

 of a leap, however dangerous, if hounds were 

 running at the time, and was notorious for the 

 recklessness with which he would plunge into 

 the deepest rivers though he could not swim a 

 stroke ! 



This I think is to court real danger for no 

 sufficient object. 



Lord Wolverton, than whom no man has ridden 

 straighter and more enthusiastically to hounds, 

 ever since he left Oxford, once crossed the 

 Thames in this most perilous fashion, — for he 

 too has never learnt to swim — during a run 

 with "the Queen's." "But," said I, protesting 

 subsequently against such hardihood, " you were 

 risking your life at every stroke." 



" I never thought of that," was the answer, 

 ''till I got safe over, and it was no use bothering 

 about it then." 



Lord Cardigan, however, seemed well aware 

 of his danger, and, in my own recollection, had 

 two very narrow escapes from drowning in these 

 uncalled-for exploits. 



The gallant old cavalry officer's death was in 



112 



