324 The Post and the Paddock, 



autumn, on account of the corn. For this reason 

 Meynell stooped them to hare in the spring, to get 

 them handy when they began hunting. So far it had 

 the desired effect, but they never were thoroughly 

 steady. There is a story of their having had a briUiant 

 burst of twenty minutes, and kilhng a hare in the 

 turnpike road amongst the field ; Meynell, without 

 showing anger or surprise, very calmly remarked, as 

 on the occasion alluded to in the last chapter, " Ah, 

 there are days when they will hunt anything." Mey- 

 nell was the great luminary of the chase, from whom 

 all sporting planets borrowed their light. Still, 

 although one would suppose they must have been 

 conscious of his pre-eminence, it was long before they 

 availed themselves of it. 



Lord Monson's were the hounds which approxi- 

 mated nearer to Meynell's than any others of the 

 day ; and, indeed, take them for every sort of coun- 

 try, woodland and open, they were of very superior 

 order. 



Lord Lonsdale (then Sir James Lowther) was a 

 cotemporary of Meynell, but never would breed from 

 his blood. He persisted in keeping the slow-hunting 

 large hounds, which he had always been accustomed 

 to, and a good fox over the country was above his 

 hands. He pursued the same system till late in life, 

 when it was generally believed that Colonel Lowther 

 had the management. Whether that be the case or 

 not, their character was entirely changed ; they were 

 lighter, quicker, and for several years had as good 

 sport as any hounds in the country. 



John Warde was another cotemporary of Meynell, 

 but never would cross with him. He was prejudiced 

 in favour of the old heavy slow hound, and affected to 

 hold Meynell cheap. His prejudice was so strong that 

 he once got two of his draft hounds of the meanest 

 description, which he used to show as specimens of 

 the Quorn hounds. He called them Queer'em and 



