Market Harborough, and Inside the Bar

In Short

This volume combines two short comic novels set in the mid-nineteenth-century English hunting countryside. The first follows the well-meaning but callow Mr. Sawyer as he leaves his quiet country seat to establish himself among the high-flying sportsmen of Market Harborough, pursuing both athletic glory and the hand of a cunning parson's daughter. The second, told from the perspective of an injured bachelor recuperating at a hunting inn, offers a series of vignettes detailing the eccentrics, horse-dealers, and formidable women of the field. Together, they endure as sharp, affectionate portraits of provincial ambition and equestrian obsession.

The Story

In Market Harborough, Mr. Sawyer is a small-town proprietor determined to test his mettle against the "tip-top swells" of Leicestershire. Nagged by his obstinate old groom, Isaac, who grumbles at every purchase while secretly maneuvering on his master's behalf, Sawyer buys a dubious roan named Hotspur and sets out for the Shires. Upon arrival, he falls into company with the Honourable Crasher, a languid aristocrat who gallops effortlessly through fog and over impossible fences without ever knowing the way. Sawyer soon finds that navigating the social terrain requires as much nerve as jumping an oxer. At the same time, he becomes enamored of Miss Cissy Dove, the daughter of a local clergyman. Cissy is a master of quiet calculation, adept at keeping forward men at bay while drawing shy suitors like Sawyer into her orbit.

Sawyer’s stay in Harborough becomes a sequence of trials: he misreads his horses, suffers agonizing card games where his distraction loses him small fortunes, and endures the sting of social slights at regional balls. Isaac continues to pull strings in the background, secretly swapping horses in early-morning trials to trick rival grooms into bidding up Sawyer's mounts. Despite his awkwardness, Sawyer resolves to prove his courage by riding in the local steeplechase, driven by a desire to impress Cissy, who watches his efforts with subtle amusement. Though his equestrian schemes yield mixed results, his pursuit of Cissy eventually reaches its resolution as he learns to adapt to the unspoken rules of the hunting set.

In Inside the Bar, the narrative shifts to a first-person narrator named Softly, a bachelor who retreats to the damp village of Soakington for a five-month hunting sabbatical, explicitly hoping to avoid "female influence." His plans are quickly derailed when a carriage accident leaves him with broken ribs and a concussion, marooning him in the parlour of the Haycock Inn. Convalescence forces him to observe the parade of local personalities centered around the inn’s bar, presided over by the dazzling Miss Lushington.

Softly listens to the boasts of Tips the horse-breaker, endures the swagger of the aggressive Mr. Naggett, and accepts a perilous ride in a light cart with the reckless "Jovial Jem" Plumtree to dine with the local Squire, an old-school sportsman who despises modern fast-bred hounds. Central to Softly's thoughts is Miss Fanny Merlin, a formidable, highly educated woman who translates Greek, manages her father's household, and outrides every man in the county on her famous horse, Lady-Killer. Softly carries a long-standing, unrequited admiration for her, but can only watch from afar as she glides effortlessly across the difficult terrain, leaving her suitors floundering in her wake. Before Softly can fully recover to pursue her, Miss Merlin's stud is ordered away to Melton, leaving him to reflect dejectedly on the elusive nature of both the fox and the women of the Shires.

How It Unfolds

The journey begins Determined to upgrade his standing, Mr. Sawyer purchases a new horse despite the gloomy predictions of his old groom, Isaac, and sets off for Leicestershire. He immediately loses his way in a dense fog, only to be guided by the languid, oblivious Honourable Crasher.

Testing the country Sawyer attempts to keep pace with the seasoned Meltonians, constantly trying to manage his high-spirited horses over massive fences. Meanwhile, old Isaac uses clever trade tactics in the early mornings, swapping horses in secret trials to build a false reputation for Sawyer's stud.

A night on the road Returning after dark from a long run, Sawyer finds himself escorting Miss Cissy Dove and her father. The encounter sparks a courtship in which Cissy skillfully manages Sawyer's awkward attempts at gallantry, encouraging his attentions while keeping him uncertain of her feelings.

Disaster at the card table At a social gathering, Sawyer's romantic distraction leads him to make catastrophic errors during a game of whist. His partner resigns himself to the losses, assuming Sawyer is hopelessly drunk, while Sawyer resolves to redeem his reputation by riding in an upcoming steeplechase.

Convalescence at Soakington In the second tale, the narrator Softly is injured in a carriage spill and confined to the Haycock Inn. Bound to his rooms, he relies on the visits of local characters, including the swaggering Mr. Naggett and the horse-breaker Tips, to pass the tedious days.

A dangerous invitation Softly reluctantly accepts a ride in a light carriage with "Jovial Jem" Plumtree to visit the old Squire. During dinner, the elder host delivers a long lecture on the decline of modern foxhounds, arguing that modern breeding favors speed over true hunting stamina.

The final glimpse Once back on his feet, Softly rides out to find the hunt, only to catch a distant view of the elusive Miss Merlin standing victorious after a successful run. Before he can approach her, her grooms move her horses to another county, leaving him behind.

The People

• Mr. Sawyer wants to establish himself as a first-rate sportsman and win the affection of Cissy Dove. He is hindered by his own social awkwardness, his lack of familiarity with the Shires, and his misjudgments in the field, but his persistence earns him a place in the community.
• Isaac is Sawyer’s stubborn, silent old groom. He aims to protect his master's pocketbook and reputation, using his own brand of horse-dealing diplomacy and cunning to outwit rival grooms, never hesitating to lecture Sawyer when he strays.
• The Honourable Crasher is a languid, unbothered aristocrat who rides recklessly across the countryside without ever learning the local roads. He serves as Sawyer's unwitting guide into Leicestershire society.
• Cissy Dove is the clever, quiet daughter of a country clergyman. She wants an eligible suitor whom she can easily manage, using her charm and sharp observation to test Sawyer's devotion.
• Softly is the cautious narrator of the second story who seeks a quiet winter of bachelor hunting. A carriage wreck interrupts his plans, leaving him to observe the local society from the sidelines while nursing an unrequited admiration for Miss Merlin.
• Miss Fanny Merlin is an exceptionally accomplished, independent woman who reads Greek, manages her father's estate, and outrides every man in the field. She remains entirely indifferent to the men who attempt to follow her line.

In Its Own Voice

"Isaac was a character in his way—quite an institution at The Grange, where, by dint of indomitable tenacity of opinion, and a singular talent for silence, he had contrived to extend his influence over a good many matters not in the least connected with his department."

Context: Describing the old groom whose quiet authority governs everything from the poultry yard to his master's stable choices.

"I think I have observed that they are usually as ready to bring a shy man 'on' as they are to keep a forward one back. There is a certain temperature at which they consider you malleable; so they heat you up, or cool you down to it, with no small chemical skill."

Context: Reflecting on the tactics used by Miss Dove and other ladies when managing their prospective suitors.

"Studying hard at the Parsonage, her only relaxation was to hunt. I have already said she did exactly what she pleased; and her father, though a clergyman, was a rich man, and though a rich man a liberal one."

Context: Introducing the background and unusual independence of the accomplished Miss Fanny Merlin.

What It's Really About

Beneath the surface of mud, horses, and social calls, the book explores the tension between provincial ambition and established class codes. Sawyer’s arrival in Leicestershire is a study in social mobility: he must learn not merely how to clear a seven-foot fence, but how to interpret the subtle glances of eligible women and the dry condescension of wealthy bachelors. The novel continuously contrasts genuine equestrian skill with performative swagger, showing how figures like Isaac manipulate appearance to achieve practical ends. Furthermore, it examines the limited independence available to 19th-century women, contrasting Cissy Dove's delicate domestic calculations with Fanny Merlin's outright dominance of the hunting field, suggesting that true self-possession is the rarest asset in provincial society.

Why Read It Today

Modern readers will find a surprisingly dry, unsentimental wit operating behind these 19th-century sporting sketches. Whyte-Melville writes with the relaxed authority of an insider, capturing the precise texture of country life without relying on romantic idealization. The humor is grounded in sharp observation—particularly regarding human vanity, the absurdities of courtship, and the quiet tyranny of long-serving domestic staff.

The book does present specific hurdles for the contemporary reader. It is heavily steeped in specialized Victorian equestrian terminology, detailed descriptions of horseflesh, and regional hunting geography that can initially feel dense. The narrative pacing is leisurely, drifting frequently into character sketches, local anecdotes, and lengthy digressions on hound breeding or the mechanics of card games. Period attitudes toward social hierarchy and gender roles are embedded throughout the text. Yet for those who enjoy ironic character studies, understated comedy, and vivid historical settings, it offers a warm, exceptionally detailed window into a vanished world of muddy turnpikes, drafty inns, and private ambitions.