194 THE BEST SEASON ON EECOKD. 



of our well worn stud — we should still fail to attain 

 oblivion of sultry noon-tide at the rendezvous, and, in a 

 run, of the crowd of imfoniiliar forms rendering each line 

 of gaps and gates less our own than ever. In the 

 homely isolation of November we form of ourselves a 

 little nniltitude. In the unrestricted popularity of March 

 our local world is almost lost in a swollen stream of 

 visitors. Individually the latter are welcome and charm- 

 ing. Collectively they may become — well, too much of 

 a good thing. In Leicestershire it has never been the 

 custom to cavil at — still less to resent — the presence of 

 strangers. We are not prompted to throw the meta- 

 phorical " 'arf brick " by riding jealous of — or, as the 

 nngracious practice is termed elsewhere, of " riding at " 

 — them : but rather regard their comiug as a compli- 

 ment to a country whose reputed charms have brought 

 them hither. 



Vicarious a sport as foxhunting must always be, It Is 

 never more so than In March, when it has to contend 

 against numberless . adverse chances of subject and 

 climate. At least every second fox is not fit to run — 

 and quite three out of four won't. At this time of the 

 3'ear they consider they have other occupations, and are 

 apt to decline altogether to enter into the fun of the 

 thing. From the experience of months that are past, or 

 out of a forethought for months to come, they are 

 acquainted with eveiy available earth or drain in the 

 neighbourhood — and accordingly seldom lail to turn this 

 knowledge to account, when called upon for distasteful 

 exertion. The coverts, too — especially during a winter 



