THE REV. JOHN RUSSELL. 293 



some days together, both over fourscore years, 

 and the next generation only, though a hundred 

 years had passed since that visit of their 

 fathers. Mr. Russell was then sitting at table 

 with several of the grandchildren and great- 

 grandchildren of his father's host and friend ; 

 among them, the present possessor of the 

 Castle, a grandson, and his eldest son, who had 

 attained his majority six months before, when 

 Mr. Russell had been one of the many old 

 friends assembled at Dunster on that joyous 

 occasion. 



" At the tenants' ball the same night, Mr. 

 Russell was among the most active dancers, 

 joining in quadrilles, lancers, and country dances, 

 with the prettiest girls in the room (all delighted 

 to have him for a partner), and greeting all his 

 old friends in his heartv manner. He retired 

 to bed at three a.m., regretting the necessity of 

 leaving the festive scene before Sir Roger de 

 Coverley began ; but he had to start at eight 

 a.m., on a journey of over forty miles, as, he 

 said, * Lord Portsmouth's hounds were to meet 

 near his place in Devonshire, and he had 

 promised his lordship to be back soon after 

 twelve o'clock to show him his second fox ' — 

 which he did. The previous Monday had been 

 his eighty-first birthday." 



Mr. Stucley Lucas, the present owner of 

 Baron's Down, whose father succeeded the late 



