CHAPTER XIY. 



ONE AYEEk's WOKK. 



^,,, /^^IIE sport of sucli a season as tins puts a heavy 

 ©jj'') — even if a bappy — burden on tbe poor 

 c3ii^ recorder. He bas all tbe difficulties witb 

 wbicb otbers are contending — e.g. a stricken purse, over- 

 worked liorses, an infatuated zest for tbe sport, perbaps 

 a feeble frame — supported only by a bealtby appetite and 

 after-dinner somnolence, and a strong dislike to remain- 

 in<'- at borne in fair buntinir weatber wben otbers are 

 riding gaily to bounds over (may I repeat tbe well-tried 

 assertion?) tbe very best countries in England. To see 

 tbe sport, be sliould be abroad and in tbe saddle. To 

 write of it, be sliould be at liome with tbe pen. If tbe 

 Gulf Stream bas really cbanged its course and warm 

 winters are to be tbe steady rule, TJtc Field sbould in 

 common iairness go witb tbe tide and provide eacb of 

 its correspondents witb an amanuensis, wlio sball put our 

 post-prandial memories into more readable sbape tban 

 can be ex|)ected of drowsy frames and rein-worn fingers. 

 Even tbe luxury of an bonest cropper must be denied to 

 tbe weekly scribbler, lest its effects sbould interfere witb 



