not by any means so easy an acquisition-" a clever hack." On the road as well as in the park has she proved her fair claim to the character, while her looks are alone a strong recommendation for the latter duty. We hope we commit no breach of confidence in saying that she is the property of a gentleman who has occasionally figured as a contributor to these pages; and we may instance a paper on the pedigree of Voltigeur, which appeared in the spring of last year, in evidence of the value of such services. We should almost fancy, to a man who can go so deeply into the Stud Book, that the want of a pedigree to his favourite must be a source of some little regret. The Beauty, however, before us was quite a chance bargain, and we cannot go beyond the supposition that she is thorough-bred.

The donkey, or "the poor beast," as the world calls him, has been in good company before this. His portrait is to be found in the Badminton Hunt picture, where, mounted by young Nimrod Long, he takes his place amongst the lords and ladies there and then assembled. We can say nothing more of his merits, but this honour of itself is something of a certificate.

REVIEW OF THE HUNTING SEASON,

AND

REMINISCENCES OF PAST EVENT S.

BY CECIL.

Termination of the Hunting Season-Drafts-Judgment in selecting Young Hounds-A Common Failing-Comparison of Seasons-Atmospheric Influence -Beckford's Opinion-Peculiarities of the Past Season-Freedom from Accidents-Improved Style of Riding-Art of Falling-Treatment of Hunters when distressed-Bleeding deprecated-Unfounded Apprehensions-Railways considered-The late Mr. Mytton-Disposal of Hounds-Inferences-A few Words on Racing-The Chace in Olden Times-Mr. Meynell-Late Lord SeftonIntroduction of Second Horses-Mr. Corbet-Mr. George Forester-Colonel Newnham-Division of Countries-The Atherstone Hunt established-The Albrighton Hunt established-Succession of Masters-Ladies in the Hunting Field-Resignations of Sir Tatton Sykes and Mr. Conyers-Changes of Masters of Hounds-Death of General Sir W. R. Gilbert, Bart., G.C.B.

The cheering sound of the huntsman's horn is no longer heard: the echo of the who-whoop over the last fox of the season has responded its final antiphon. The hunters, after a winter most trying to their limbs and constitutions, are enjoying a temporary cessation from their labours. The gallant old hounds are reposing on their beds, anon dreaming they are enjoying the pleasures of the chase, clearly exemplified by the low whimper which they utter, and the motion of their limbs. A daily routine of healthy exercise is the summons which awakens them from their slumbers. Young hounds, "the future hopes" of years to come, have been brought up from their walks to be initiated in good manners, inseparable with kennel discipline, preparatory to their introduction among hares and deer whom they are to be taught to regard with awe. The drafts have been already made, and the rejected disposed of to

masters of hounds who have not the good fortune to breed sufficient numbers to recruit their ranks. Lucky are those who have been able to obtain reinforcements from the celebrated kennels of their Graces of Beaufort or Rutland, Lords Fitzhardinge, Fitzwilliam, Yarborough, Bentinck, or Mr. Assheton Smith, all of whom, I have reason to believe, have had unprecedented good entries this spring. I cannot add anything more conclusive of the excellence of the Duke of Beaufort's hounds, than that Sir Richard Sutton secured the entire draft. Lord Gifford, Colonel Clowes, Mr. Villebois, Mr. Peirse, and Mr. Thackwell obtained Lord Fitzhardinge's; and although not quite so numerous as they have been on some former occasions, they are unanimously proclaimed by those most capable of forming a correct judgment, to be most superior as a lot, and individually promising. Mr. Peirse had the greatest number-I believe about twelve couples; and I feel assured the Hampshire gentlemen will have reason to appreciate the good judgment exercised by the worthy master of their hounds, for having resorted to the Berkeley kennels for a draft, as I firmly believe them to be a sort particularly adapted to the country. To an admirer of foxhounds, a more truly interesting scene cannot be enjoyed, when the more exciting pleasures of the chase are in abeyance, than that which is presented at the time the drafts are being picked, when the respective masters of hounds, or their huntsmen as their representatives, assemble to exercise their judgment, and make their selections-each in their turn having the privilege of choice. It affords an opportunity of ascertaining the peculiar features and characteristics of the hound which each connoisseur most admires. To discriminate what a young hound will form into requires great experience. One being a very early puppy, has taken his growth kindly, and has arrived nearly or quite at his full stature; another, being whelped late, is at the time of being drafted undersized; another, which has been kept at an indulgent walk, is overloaded with flesh, which will probably make him appear short, cloggy, thick in his neck and shoulders, yet when in hunting condition he will be a very different animal to the eye. Such as have been badly kept, or have had sickness of any kind, look poor and emaciated. Upon allowance being made for these and other casualties, the uniform character of the draft will depend. To make a judicious choice, more than ordinary talent, quickness of eye, and practical experience become necessary. When the objection to an otherwise very promising young hound exists only in his having a toe down, and that in a very slight degree, which may probably not be productive of any injury, and he is on that account left nearly till the last before he is taken, must convince the unpractised both of the circumspection exercised and the excellence of the lot.

When referring to events which have immediately transpired, we are very prone to adopt the superlative degree to denote their excellence or inferiority. Whether this feeling should be attributed to the weakness. of human nature, obliviousness, both combined, and other little failings collectively, I am not prepared to decide; perchance it is not very important to do so; and as it is a propensity in which many others have indulged as well as myself, I trust I may be excused on this occasion. I can well remember the hunting season of 1845-6 being a very open one, and somewhat similar to the last, except that there was not any

thing equal to the quantity of rain; neither do I think it was productive generally of so much sport. The season of 1849-50 was bad; that of 1850-51 exceedingly good; while 1851-52, although the weather was open, was most unusually deficient of good scenting-days-a complaint made by nearly every master of hounds throughout the kingdom. The one that has recently closed has certainly eclipsed not only all those which I have enumerated, but all that I can remember during the last thirty years. It is therefore fairly entitled to the superlative degree. There is no vocation more subservient to the weather, or rather, to atmospheric causes, than foxhunting; and frequently as the subject of scent has been treated upon, I cannot refrain from a few words on the present occasion. Beckford makes the following observations:-"I believe, however, that it depends chiefly on two things: the condition the ground is in, and the temperature of the air-both of which I apprehend should be moist without being wet: when both are in this condition, the scent is then perfect; and vice versa, when the ground is hard and the air dry, there will seldom be any scent. It scarcely ever lies with a north or an east wind: a southerly wind without rain, and a westerly wind that is not rough, are the most favourable." Now what would this talented sportsman have written had he lived to have witnessed hounds running almost in water, with the wind from the east, with a burning scent, which frequently happened last season? The remark with which he commences his observations comes out with great force, wherein he states :-" For scent is, I believe, what we sportsmen know least about." The experience of three quarters of a century, since the period when he formed his opinions, verifies the truth of his assertion. Peculiarities must have prevailed during the seasons when Beckford gained his experience, which are not identical with those of late years-for it is the general opinion with observant sportsmen of the present day that the best scents are known when the wind comes from the east.

There is one circumstance connected with the past season which must not be left unnoticed. Although it is universally admitted that an abundance of sport has been shown, far exceeding the average, with nearly every pack throughout the kingdom; that the country has been unusually deep and severe for horses; that there have been larger assemblages at the covert-side than in any preceding years, yet accidents, either to men or horses, have been very rare. To what cause or causes this good fortune may be attributed, I am not in a position positively to declare-possibly to a combination. The extreme softness of the ground may be one reason, for Mother Earth was never in a more felicitous state to receive into her tender and affectionate embraces her numerous family of venatic sons, who ambitiously woo fortune in the enterprising vicissitudes of the chase. Another reason succeeds: the art of riding is unquestionably more extensively diffused-an assertion corroborated by daily experience and observation. Mark the style of riding when a fox breaks away from the covert in which he is foundnot confined to a few, as was the case in years gone by, but the majority of those who compose the field. Nearly every individual who professes to exhibit equestrian prowess takes a firm-steady, it may be termed— professional hold of his horse's head, with his hands well down. He then glances his eye upon the leading hounds, to determine upon the

line he should take, and looks forward to see which appears to be the most practicable part of the fence; on approaching which, he steadies his horse, and puts him at it with coolness and resolution. He selects the soundest and best ground to ride upon; and if the pace be very severe and continues, festina lentè is his motto; he eases his horse the moment he finds him in the least difficulty, like a patient and scientific jockey. These cautious observances were formerly adopted by very few except the heavy weights; but now they are generally recognised and practised by the light ones. All who follow hounds must expect occasionally to experience falls, and there is some art in falling; when a cropper is inevitable, the quicker a man relieves himself from his horse the less likely is he to sustain an injury. The most serious accidents arise from horses falling upon and rolling over their riders to escape such catastrophes activity and coolness are essential qualities. Another very conspicuous reason why there has not been an equal number of misfortunes with reference to mortality among horses, as compared with bygone years, may be assigned to superiority of condition. The management of hunters is far better understood; and that knowledge is more generally diffused. I can well remember, years ago, if a horse was ridden to distress he was commonly bled in the field, if a fleam could be procured-and one of those instruments was commonly carried in the pocket by most of those who professed to be hard riders. Bleeding an animal when in a state of exhaustion is a remedy which ordinary reflection must pronounce to be highly injudicious. Would a physician order a human patient to be so treated when in a state of fainting, or prostration of strength from deficiency of vital power? Common sense responds in the negative. After a horse returns to his stable, if from the effects of over-exertion, there are symptoms of inflammation, an abstraction of blood may in some cases be resorted to with advantage. But they are very rare, and should scarcely ever be adopted, except under the superintendence of a veterinary professor. A horse that is in a fit condition to follow hounds will scarcely ever be reduced to such an extremity, because if the blood be in a healthy state, the circulation free, the lungs in good order, and the muscular system prepared by judicious exercise, unless the animal is suffering from the effects of a cold, or some predisposition to inflammatory action, of which his owner was not cognisant before he took the horse out in the morning, there can scarcely be any circumstance to indicate the propriety of bleeding.

When railroads were extending their dominion over the land some ten or twelve years ago, it was apprehended by most of the admirers and partisans of foxhunting that their influence would be prejudicial to the noble science; indeed, that they would very speedily bring it to a conclusion-an effect which I, for one, must in candour admit I certainly did anticipate. The longer we live in this world, unless we allow prejudice to predominate, the more we ought to be convinced that many of the social changes which are brought about are eventually conducive to our mutual advantage. It certainly did appear very probable that the railroads as they became general would operate most prejudicially to hunting. That was the theoretical view: now let us consider the practical. We came to the conclusion that a fox crossing a railway would be a serious affair; or, what would be worse-if he should happen to pass along the line, and a train were to come at the moment when the

pack were running in full cry, that they would be inevitably annihilated. Happily these melancholy forebodings are not realized. Very fortunately railways are "lines" which the vulpine order does not patronize. Foxes certainly cross them at times; but they are shy even of doing that; and they very seldom run along the line. We have now gained such practical experience with everything appertaining to railways-so far as they are connected with foxhunting-as to be able to judge of their effects; and it must be fairly admitted that the fearful and unfavourable prognostications have vanished with steam. It would be going too far to acknowledge that railroads do not present any impediments to hunting; they very often cause faxes to run short; and in many places where the cuttings are deep or the embankment high, they are impracticable for horsemen. But having exonerated them from the heaviest charges, we must proceed with the balance of advantages which they present. Before the time arrived when we could avail ourselves of steam locomotion, a five-and-twenty or thirty miles' ride to covert was an indulgence which occasionally awaited us if we felt determined to hunt; for, be it remembered, there were many countries which were not hunted regularly, as I shall proceed to explain. However accustomed a man may be to the saddle-and unless he is he cannot undergo the fatigue of a long ride to covert-hunting from eleven o'clock till four and the ride home is hard work, which I, for one, can testify. It entails the necessity of being twelve hours or more on horseback; and although it is a great relief to exchange a tired for a fresh horse, whoever has undertaken it is glad to get between the sheets as early as convenient. Mr. Mytton was at one period of his eventful life in the habit of riding from his residence at Halston in the morning, to hunt his own hounds, in what was then called the Shiffnal country, but which now comprises part of the Albrighton Hunt, and the first time I ever saw him with his hounds was at Weston, full forty miles from Halston, from whence he had ridden; and I also recollect it was a dreadfully wet morning at the commencement of the season. He rode home afterwards; thus he had eighty miles of road-work, exclusive of hunting. I can also recollect his travelling from Cheltenham to meet his hounds at the Wheel Gate-a distance of fifty-five miles; but as he rode in his carriage, the exertion was not so very great. The motive for this was a frost put a stop to hunting, and he went to Cheltenham for a lark; but finding the frost breaking up, he started towards four o'clock in the morning. However, he was behind time, and the hounds on his arrival had gone to draw Morfe Gorse, without any horse being left for him— in fact, none of his servants knew where he was, whether he would come on wheels or on horseback, or, indeed, whether he would be there at all. As there was no road for a carriage, he was in what many persons would have considered "a decided fix;" but he mounted one of the posters, and with the incumbrance of some of the harness came across the country, arriving at the gorse just in time to see the hounds find

their fox.

Railways afford the sportsman opportunities of going long distances without fatigue, and are therefore of great value, as they more than compensate for the trifling impediments which they present in chase. Many masters of hounds expressed their positive determinations to give up their hounds when proposals were made for railroads to intersect