REVIEW — THE HUNTING FIELD. 
681 
of his company, invites his friend to come and spend “ what time 
he could ” with him in the country ; his real motive for so doing 
being a consideration that it would be less awkward for him — he 
being horsed and equipped ready to take the field — “ to shew any 
want of hunting habits in a strange country than in his own.” 
Accordingly, with four horses, his friend pays him a visit, and, after 
a day or so, agrees to accompany him to hunt with the fox- 
hounds ; his friend requesting Harry to ride that day a grey horse 
of his, concerning whom serious doubts as to capability, &c., had 
been of late entertained. They were rather early at the fixture, 
the hounds only coming up as they got there. The interval before 
the arrival of the “master” was passed in Harry discussing the 
merits of the huntsman, the whips, their horses, the hounds, &c. ; 
with sundry remarks, often facetious but never ill-natured, on the 
different hunting characters as they arrived at the meet, when the 
chat was suddenly broken off by 
“ But here comes the master of the hounds ! — so we will offer 
our salutations to him, and then attend to our business.” So, 
moving their hats to him, “ in virtue of his situation as master of 
the pack” — “ a piece of courtesy no well-bred man omits on like 
occasions” — a conversation springs up : — 
“ You are on a new horse, I see, Hieover, and a very fine one 
he is.” 
“He is merely one I am trying for a friend, my lord.” — “Well,” 
said I to my friend, “ that is no fib; and if the grey exposes himself, 
his being ‘ on trial ’ will save the credit of your stable.” 
“ ‘ Come/ said I, 1 now do throw away that beastly weed you 
have been puffing this half-hour, for this cover, which is not large, 
is sure to hold a fox; and when he does go from here, you will have 
enough to do with your horse, I can tell you, without blowing a 
fire under your nose.’ 
“ The Master now gave a wave of his hand, and the Huntsman 
rode gently towards the cover. Not a hound stirred from his 
horse’s heels, till, having come close to the hedge, ‘Yoi over there; 
loo in! loo in !’ sent every hound on to the hedge, and, dropping on 
the other side, not one was visible. The Huntsman now trotted to 
a gate leading into the cover, and only the field was to be seen. 
* Yoi ! wind him there ;’ halloos the Huntsman. 
“ ‘Loo on, loo on, hounds!’ cries the First Whip, finding two or 
three couple rather dwelling at the lower end of the cover. A 
