THE REV. JOHN RUSSELL. 213 



steadily and vigorously under the fostering care 

 of John Russell and Newton Fellowes. 



The latter gentleman, indeed, besides main- 

 taining a noble pack of hounds on a grand 

 scale, and doing all in his power to promote the 

 cause of fox-hunting, not less bv territorial 

 influence than bv his own kind-heartedness and 

 hospitality, did more to improve the breed of 

 horses than any man in the West of England ; 

 Czar Peter, Escape, Colossus, Anacreon, and 

 Mufti forming a part of his stud, the last 

 being an invaluable hunter, bred by the Duke 

 of Bedford. 



Partial, however, as Mr. Fellowes was to 

 thoroughbred stock, it was a favourite theory of 

 his that to breed a useful Devonshire hunter — a 

 weight-carrier, with powerful quarters, and airy 

 forehand — the produce of a thoroughbred mare 

 by a strong but light-actioned pack-horse was a 

 far better cross than the one so commonly 

 adopted by the farmers of that country, namely, 

 a cross from a pack-dam by a thoroughbred sire. 

 But on this point his own practice, it must be 

 remembered, was little in accordance with the 

 above theory ; as, indeed, might be expected 

 from so great a lover of blood-stock as the 

 Squire of Eggesford. 



So much for Russell's neighbour ; now for 

 himself. The big, raking hounds in which Mr. 

 Fellowes so delighted, and which swept the 



