RIDING RECOLLECTIONS 



ness, coercion, hand, seat, valour, and discretion 

 should be combined in due proportion, and the 

 mixture, as far as the hunting-field is concerned, 

 will come out a real elixir vitce such as the pale 

 Rosicrucian poring over crucible and alembic 

 sought to compound in vain. 



I cannot forbear quoting once more from the 

 gallant soul - stirring lines of Mr. Bromley 

 Davenport, himself an enthusiast who, to this 

 day, never seems to remember he has a neck 

 to break ! 



"What is time? the effusion of life zoophytic, 



In dreary pursuit of position or gain. 

 What is Hfe? the absorption of vapours mephitic, 



The bursting of sunlight on senses and brain. 

 Such a life has been mine, though so speedily over, 



Condensing the joys of a century's course, 

 From the find, till they ate him near Woodwell-Head Covert, 



In thirty bright minutes from Banksborough Corse ! " 



Yes, when all is said and done, perhaps the 

 very acme and perfection of a riding run, is 

 to be attained within fifteen miles of Melton. 

 A man who has once been fortunate enough 

 to find himself, for ever so short a distance, 

 leading 



"The cream of the cream, in the shire of shires," 



will never, I imagine, forget his feelings of 

 triumph and satisfaction while he occupied so 

 proud a position ; nor do I think that, as a 



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