al_
equestrians, preceded by every description of the canine race, from
the high bred beagle to the "cur of low degree." All was tumultuous
dissonance, and confusion worse confounded. Tallyho enjoyed the scene
to the very acme of delight, and giving the reins to his experienced
courser, high in blood, and eager for accustomed exercise, the noble
animal accompanied by its companion under the guidance of Dashall,
started off with unrivalled celerity, and in a few moments set all
competition at defiance. Sir Felix, in an attempt to follow his friends,
leaped a fence, but gaining the opposite side, horse and rider came
to the ground: fortunately neither of them sustained any injury.--Sir
Felix, ~198~~ however, on regaining his footing, found that his horse,
which had gone forward, was in possession of a stranger, who losing
his own, had availed himself of this opportunity of remounting, and now
pursued his way bare-headed; for the wind had uncourteously uncovered
his pericranium, and he abandoned his castor to its fate rather than
by stopping to pick it up, risque the restitution of his prize, and
the wrath of the baronet, who stood spell-bound against the fence,
vociferously demanding his gelding, and extending his arm in reiterated
denunciation of vengeance. The unceremonious intruder turning round on
the saddle, without slackening his career.--" Bide you where you are,
my fine fellow," he provokingly exclaimed, "until the chase is over, and
your gelding shall then be forthcoming." If the sense of misfortune is
alleviated by seeing it participated by others, the baronet had ample
fund of consolation, for numbers around him were involved in similar
calamity. He profited too, by an admirable lesson of patience under
disaster. On the right of his runaway gelding, and its rider, he
perceived a dismounted horseman, quietly submitting to adversity, by
seating himself on a bank, while his unburthened steed pursued the chase
with unabating celerity, leaving its owner to wait, at leisure, its
return. Two cockney equestrians now approached, at full speed, the
fence where Sir Felix still stood, in the attitude of remonstrance and
irritation; and attempting the leap, one, like the baronet, gained the
opposite side, but with a less successful result; for the rider was
pitched over with some violence, with his heels aloft in the air, as if
about to perambulate the field on his hands, while his horse came to the
ground on its face and kn