conveyed to me to pass a few days at Hooton, the property of Sir William Massey Stanley; and, as the worthy baronet is not only one of the most popular men of his day, but a true sportsman to boot in every sense of the word, I gladly availed myself of his hospitality. The morning of the 11th of October arrived, and at ten o'clock I found myself at the Euston-square station. I have a horror of railroads: the monotony of the journey-the feeling that you are to be boxed up for a certain number of hours, without being able to leave your seat-are, to me, annoyances of the greatest magnitude. I often sigh for the "team of other days"-the well-appointed coach, or the britzka and four-but it is useless to grumble, or, as the wags say, to rail at the rail; there is nothing left now but to grin and bear it. After a most uninteresting journey, during which the whole conversation turned upon the Hudson's Bay Company, stags, scrip, provisional committee-men, and premiums, we reached Birmingham; and there my eyes were gladdened at seeing the neat travelling chariot of the host, to whose house I was about to go, just arrive from Derbyshire, where Sir William had been slaughtering a considerable quantity of the Earl of Chesterfield's pheasants. After a delay of an hour, during which we bipeds were all fed very much after the principle of the quadrupeds at the Surrey Zoological Gardens, we took our seats, and were whizzed off to Chester. Nothing of any interest occurred upon our journey; for what can occur to amuse one in the rapid fit that one takes from station to station? We passed Ranton Abbey, the property of Lord Lichfield, where, not many years since, that noble lord, accompanied by Lords Alvanley and Albert Conyngham, and Sir William Stanley, killed their 550 pheasants in a day's sport. Happy was I to find myself safely landed at Chester-that quaint old city, with its venerable rows and ancient houses; and still happier was I to see Sir William's four handsome chesnut horses, with their two neat postilions, waiting to convey us by the road to Hooton. The carriage was soon taken off its truck, horses put to, and away we trotted, at the rate of twelve miles an hour, towards the hospitable mansion of my companion. Sir William is high sheriff of the county; and it must have been a goodly sight to have witnessed his turn-out upon the day he went to meet the judges. Upon this occasion, all those who are in the habit of hunting with the Hooton hounds appeared in pink, and well mounted. The tenantry, too, produced a cavalcade of horses that would have gladdened the heart of the smartest cavalry colonel in her Majesty's service, had he been enabled to have transferred them to his troop stables. These, added to the high sheriff's own stud, and that of his brother John, with one carriage-and-six, and two out-riders, two other carriages-of-four, of Barker's best build, and Whippy's harness-need we say more?-formed a procession that, to adopt an American phrase, could not be "dittoed" anywhere. The entrance to Hooton is very picturesque, the park is extensive and well wooded, and the view of the Mersey most beautiful. The house—a modern one is replete with every comfort; and, if for a moment we regret the demolition of the Gothic-hall, with its associations of feudal barons, ancient knights, long galleries, narrow chambers, and dark

passages, we are amply repaid with the comforts and luxuries of modern days.

While the carriage is unpacking, I ramble into the well-stocked library, and, in turning over the leaves of "Lyson's Magna Britannia," I find the following account of my host's ancestors :

"The Stanleys, who are a branch of the ancient baronial family of Audley, took the name of Stanley, from Stanleigh, or Stanley, in Staffordshire, where they were some time settled. Sir William de Stanley, in consequence of his marriage with the heiress of Barnville, became possessed, about the year 1315, of the bailiwick of Wirrall Forest, and the manor of Great Storeton. His son, by a marriage with the heiress of Hooton, became possessed of that lordship, which has ever since been the seat of his descendants. In consequence of a younger son of this family succeeding by devise to the estate of the Masseys of Puddington in 1715, he assumed the name of Massey in addition to his own; but upon this branch coming into possession of Hooton, by the death of Sir William Stanley, Bart., in 1792, they reassumed their ancient family name. The Earl of Derby is descended from the elder son of the first Lord Stanley, Comptroller of the Household to King Henry VI. (descended from Sir John Stanley, K.G., younger brother of the first Stanley, of Hooton). The Stanleys of Alderley Park, and the Stanleys of Cumberland, are also descended from the Stanleys of Storeton in Wirrall, the ancestors of the present baronet. The township of Hooton lies about nine miles N. by W. from Chester. The ancient hall at Hooton was a large building, chiefly of timber: it was taken down in 1778, and the present mansion built from a design of Mr. Samuel Wyatt. The stone is from the Storeton quarry."

Having digressed to give a slight historical sketch of the ancestry of my Amphitrion, I now return to the hospitable hall, where, as the clock struck seven, a huge gong announced that dinner was on the table. Pleading Byron's excuse, so poetically told in that righte merrie conceite-that flighty, wild, extravagant, and immoral tale, "Don Juan".

"Great things were now to be achieved at table,

With massy plate for armour, knives and forks
For weapons; but what muse since Homer's able
To draw up in array a single day-bill

Of modern dinners ?

I shall be silent upon the subject, except to say that the artist, Monsieur Comte, is quite a "cordon bleu." Connected with good living, there is a "wrinkle" which I will take the liberty of throwing out for the benefit of country householders at large, and which I for the first time heard of at Hooton. At breakfast there is always a bill of fare sent up from the kitchen, containing every plat that the most fastidious epicure could fancy; instead of having the sideboard covered with dishes of cutlets, grills, kidneys, &c., and which get cold and clammy without they are instantaneously attacked, a carte is put into your hands: the following will serve for a specimen :—

Cotelettes de mouton, sauce piquante

Cotelettes de mouton, au naturel

Rognons au vin de Madère

Grilled fowl-Pheasant-Partridge-Turkey
Saucissons

Saumon, sauce Génévoise.

with a thousand other delicacies that I cannot at present recall to mind. No sooner is the order given, than in a few minutes the portion pour un appears smoking hot. But enough of gastronomy: let my reader accompany me to the kennel, where he will find a pack of from thirty to thirty-five couple of fox-hounds, who hunt three

days a week under the management of Sir William's universally popular brother, John Stanley, Esq., assisted by a huntsman and two whippers-in. The hounds were in excellent condition, and the kennel arrangements, as the dealers say, "ondeniably good." The stables are large, airy, and well ventilated. In the first six-stall stable were four as clever-looking hunters as I ever saw-a grey horse, "Forester;" "Vakeel," thorough bred; a bay mare, and a chestnut mare. In the other stables were "Silver," "Perfection," "Warwick," "Jack Sheppard," Forester" (6 years old, thorough bred), a chestnut gelding, and a grey gelding, "Baronet," bought of Sir Francis Goodricke-all letters A, Nos. 1, and no mistake! A lady's horse attracted my attention: it is in every way worthy of the fair equestrian who mounts it, the wife of John Stanley, Esq. This lady possesses the naïveté of her own country, La belle France, combined with all those graces and accomplishments which characterise the daughters of that country to which, by marriage, she is naturalized. The master of the hounds, huntsmen, and whippers-in, are all well mounted; and there are five stalls of rough-and-ready looking ponies, "first turn outs" for any gentleman who wants to ride to cover, or go out shooting. The stud reflects the greatest credit upon the head groom, Bailey. As yet there are some empty stalls, but the High Sheriff is looking out to replace the two-and-twenty horses he sold last spring at Tattersall's. The carriage department is worthy a visit: it contains nearly as many vehicles as those enumerated in the celebrated driving song of the late Charles Mathews: "buggy, whiskey, gig or dog-cart, curricle or tandem;" for there are literally one drag, one travelling-chariot, one town ditto, one tandem, two phaetons, three lady's ditto, one tilbury, one break, and a game-cart. There are six chestnut carriage-horses in work, and three phaeton horses. The saddle-room is very neatly kept. There is a state six-horse harness, made by Whippy, which reflects great credit upon the good taste of that first-rate tradesman: it is handsome without being gaudy, and highly ornamented without looking tinselly. Sir William has from twelve to fourteen brace of pointers, all educated by that king of dogbreakers, Tom Taylor, formerly in the service of the late Mr. Gell, Hopton Hall, Derbyshire. "Ben," Ben," a liver-coloured stallion, by a dog of the late Sir Harry Goodricke's, out of a favourite bitch of the late Valentine Maher's; "Grouse," a black stallion; and "Logic," a liver and white stallion; "Dill," the property of the late Mr. Gell, are as clever looking dogs as ever went into a field. From the kennels we strolled into the farm-yard, piggeries, and kitchen garden. The "swinish multitude" looked of a right sort, and are all of the Midland Counties breed. The sheep are principally Cheviots, and the stock Ayrshire short-horns. In the garden I was sorry to find that the potato disease had been very prevalent: a potato was shown me in every stage of consumption; first with a mould at the eye-holes, next cjecting a fluid, then becoming black and thoroughly decayed. The papers teem with remedies: I have heard of a simple one that has been tried with the very greatest success at the royal gardens at Windsor, and which is accessible to the poor as well as to the rich. It is simply to immerse the potatoes in strong lime-water, the moment they are taken out of the ground.

In the commencement of this paper I touched slightly upon the difference of the life of what is called "a man about town" in the metropolis, and at his country home; and certainly I saw it exemplified in the person of my hospitable host, who now entered into the business of rural and agricultural pursuits in a manner that quite astonished me. I could perfectly understand the High Sheriff being au fait with the hunting stable and kennel: his apprenticeship at Melton, when the Quorn hounds were under his and his brother Rowland Errington's management, would have quite effected that; but to hear him giving orders to his bailiff upon every subject connected with practical farming, to listen to his remarks upon draining, manuring, planting, ploughing, subsoil, guano, and all the old and modern systems of cultivation, did, I own, make me exclaim with the erudite Dominie, "Prodigious!"

The game at Hooton is strictly preserved. As a "gunner" Sir William stands in the first class, as the following records from the shooting diary will prove. For some years the baronet has rented Glenshiero in Scotland, and there are few places which can boast of such a return of killed. In twenty-one days during this last seasonmany of which were what Captain Beaufort (R. N.) would call, in his new signals, Q. P. D. L. T., Anglicè, "Hard squalls, showers of drizzle"-the party at the moors killed three thousand four hundred and fifteen grouse, besides three hundred and ninety-six head of various game. But let the record of Glenshiero speak for itself. We commence with the season 1844.

August 12, 1844.-Lower part of the Parson's Beat and to the west of it: Sir William Stanley, 231 grouse. Loch Corry: Hon. F. Craven, 83 grouse. Total, 314 grouse.

August 13.-In the afternoon, on the hill behind Macdonald's, and north from the lake: Sir William Stanley and the Hon. F. Craven, 37 grouse, 1 hare, and 1 snipe.

August 14.-Moy: Sir William Stanley and the Hon. F. Craven, 28 grouse. August 15.-West of Garvie Wood and Corry Chewan: Hon. F. Craven 152 grouse and 1 hare.

August 16.-Smooth Corry and Rough Corry, above Duncan's house: Sir William Stanley and the Hon. F. Craven, 185 grouse.

August 17.-Rain and wind: did not go to the hill. Set an immense quantity of trimmers and night-lines in the loch, and had very fair sport.

August 19.-Corry Arrick: John Stanley, Esq. and the Hon. F. Craven, 88 grouse. Moy: Thomas Taylor Fife, 16 grouse, 2 hares, and 7 snipe. Total, 104 grouse, 2 hares, and 7 snipe.

August 20.-From Sheromore to Loch Corry and back: Hon. F. Craven, 38 grouse. Round the Loch: Sir William Stanley and John Stanley, Esq., 33 grouse. Total, 71 grouse.

August 21.-Corry Chewan and west, towards Corry Varnon: Hon. F. Craven and J. Stanley, Esq., 104 grouse and 1 hare. A wild, bad morning: did not go out till late. The flat by Garva Moor: Sir W Stanley and Lord Newport, 63 grouse. A good deal of wet on Sir William's beat; not a drop of rain on the other. Total, 167 grouse and 2 hares.

August 22.-From Macdonald's house to the Berry Corry, and home: Lord Newport and J. Stanley, Esq., 47 grouse, 1 hare, and 1 snipe. Weather wretched, hard rain in the morning, Scotch mist all day on the tops, birds wild, scent bad. From Macdonald's to the hill opposite Loch Corry: Hon. F. Craven, 12 grouse, 1 hare, and 1 snipe. Total, 59 grouse, 2 hares, and 2 snipe.

August 23.-Black Wood: Sir William Stanley, Lord Newport, J. Stanley, Esq., and the Hon. F. Craven, 7 grouse and 2 black game. It was generally observed by the individuals who enjoyed this day's sport, that they had never been under water before. Stanley Brothers" did not miss a

single shot.

August 24.-Corry Varnon: J. Stanley, Esq. and the Hon. F. Craven, 150 grouse and 1 hare. Part of the Parson's Beat, Chisel Corry, and Lord's Burn: Lord Newport and Sir William Stanley, 110 grouse and 3 hares. Total, 260 grouse and 4 hares. A glorious day: not much scent in the morning, but it improved in the afternoon. The worthy baronet reported badly of his shooting; but, as Shalager of Glenshiero, was highly content with the quantity of game he saw.

August 26.-Parson's Beat: Sir William Stanley and Lord Newport, 96 grouse and 2 hares. West of Duncan's house: J. Stanley, Esq., 58 grouse. Loch Corry, and to the head of the Red Burn: Hon. F. Craven, 44 grouse. Total, 198 grouse and 2 hares. A fine morning, with strong wind from the north-west, birds wild, and very difficult to get the second barrel in.

August 27.-From Corry Chewan to Corry Varnon: Lord Newport and J. Stanley, Esq., 130 grouse. Part of Black Corry and Parson's Beat: Sir William Stanley, with his young dogs, 127 grouse and 2 hares. Rough and Smooth Corrys: Hon. F. Craven, 78 grouse. Total, 335 grouse and 2 hares. A strong wind in the morning from the north-north-west, moderate in the afternoon, and turned out a magnificent day for shooting.

August 28.-Lord Newport, Sir William Stanley, John Stanley, Esq., cum multis aliis, 19 grouse, 17 hares, 21 ptarmigan. A glorious day, with bright sun and light winds from the north-west. Found a good many ptarmigan in the early part of the day, but they were difficult to get near in the afternoon; the birds found were well accounted for.

August 29.-Mr. Taylor, 44 ptarmigan, 5 grouse, 6 hares, 4 plovers, and 1 snipe. J. Stanley, Esq., 51 grouse. Total, 44 ptarmigan, 56 grouse, 6 hares, 4 plovers, and 1 snipe.

August 30.-Part of the Parson's Beat: Sir William Stanley, 80 grouse. John Stanley, Esq., 52 grouse and 2 snipes. Total, 132 grouse and 2 snipe. This was a regular A. No. 1 swelterer; the toil-drops were seen to pour from the brows of exhausted sportsmen.

August 31.-The parties in the wood slew 14 black game, 12 grouse, 4 snipe, 1 woodcock, 1 hare, and 1 partridge.

September 2.--Corry: Sir William Stanley, 74 grouse and 3 hares. Lord Cosmo Russell and J. Stanley, Esq., 60 grouse and 1 hare. Total, 134 grouse and 4 hares.

September 3.-Sir William Stanley, J. Stanley, Esq., and Mr. Taylor, 41 grouse, 23 ptarmigan, 13 hares, and 2 plovers.

September 4.-Parson's Beat: Sir William Stanley, 93 grouse and 1 hare. Corry Varnon; Lord Cosmo Russell and J. Stanley, Esq., 91 grouse. Total, 184 grouse and 1 hare. Not bad sport for the last day at Glenshiero. No trigger pulled till past eleven o'clock: plenty of birds left for 1845. Grand Gilly ball, kept up, as the London fashionable newspapers would say, to a very late hour.

Sept. 5.-One shot more. Sir William Stanley, 21 grouse. John Stanley, Esq., 17 grouse, 1 hare, and 1 snipe. Total, 38 grouse, 1 hare, and 1 snipe; which wound up the season. N.B. Gillies' heads much in the burns.

Total killed from August 12 to September 5, 1844 :