RIDING RECOLLECTIONS 



utterly discomfited by an early disappointment (in 

 plain English, a fence we were afraid to jump) as 

 to give in without an effort, although the slightest 

 dash of valour at the right moment would have 

 carried us triumphantly out of defeat. 



Never mind. Like a French friend of mine, 

 who expresses his disinclination to our chasse au 

 renard by protesting, ''Monsieur, je ne cherche 

 pas mes dniotions a me casser le cou,'' when we are 

 avowedly in pursuit of pleasure we ought to take 

 it exactly as suits us best. There are two ends 

 of the string in every run with hounds. Wisdom 

 pervades each of these, but eschews the various 

 gradations between. In front rides valour with 

 discretion ; in rear, discretion without valour ; 

 and in the middle a tumultuous throng, amongst 

 whom neither quality is to be recognised. With 

 too little of the one to fly, not enough of the 

 other to creep, they waver at the fences, hurry 

 at the gaps, get in each other's way at the 

 gates, and altogether make exceedingly slow 

 progress compared to their efforts and their 

 excitement. 



Valour without discretion, I had almost for- 

 gotten to observe, was down and under his horse 

 at the first difficulty. 



We will let the apex of the pyramid alone for 

 the present, taking the safest and broadest end of 

 the hunt first. 



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