RIDING RECOLLECTIONS 



is to be seen. The enclosures, perhaps, are rather 

 small, but this only necessitates more jumping, 

 and the fences may well satisfy the hungriest, 

 or as an Irishman would say, the thirstiest, of 

 competitors ! They are not, however, quite so 

 formidable as they look. To accomplish two 

 blind ditches, with a bank between, and a hedge 

 thereon, requires indeed discretion in a horse, and 

 cool determination in its rider, but where these 

 exist the large leap is divided easily by two, and 

 a good man, who means going, is not often to be 

 pounded, even in the Blackmoor Vale. 



Nothing is quite perfect under the sun, not 

 your own best hunter, nor your wife's last baby, 

 and the river Stour, winding through them in 

 every direction, somewhat detracts from the merit 

 of these happiest of hunting-grounds. A good 

 friend to the deer, and a sad hindrance to its 

 pursuers, it has spoilt many a fine run ; but even 

 with this drawback there are few districts in any 

 part of England so naturally adapted to the 

 pleasures of the chase. The population is scanty, 

 the countrymen are enthusiasts, the farmers the 

 best fellows on earth, the climate seems unusually 

 favourable ; from the kindness and courtesy of 

 Sir Richard Glynn and Mr. Portman, who pursue 

 the legitimate sport over the same locality, and 

 his own personal popularity, the normal difficulties 

 of his undertaking are got over in favour of the 



208 



