THE REV. JOHN RUSSELL. 317 



At that meeting what reminiscences of fifty 

 years ago must have rolled back on his memory ! 

 what thoughts of his two gifted friends, the 

 Rev. Harrv Farr Yeatman, of Stock, and George 

 Templer, of Stover — the latter his beau-ideal of 

 a gentleman huntsman, and the former the well- 

 beloved master and founder of that hunt — each 

 a consummate judge of all that pertained to 

 hounds. He must have wondered, too, if one 

 drop of the Old Stover blood — that of Guardsman 

 or Pantaloon — could still be traced in the veins 

 or looks of those young beauties, over which he 

 now lingered with a fixed and loving eye. Nor 

 could that memorable ride to Bath on the 

 Warminster poster have been forgotten at such 

 a time ; nav, every incident of the journey 

 must have recurred to him as freshly as on the 

 dark night when he first crossed that garran's 

 back. 



At an agricultural meeting held at Exeter 

 some years ago, Russell, while busily engaged 

 in inspecting the blood-stock of a neighbouring 

 squire, was told by an old friend that he had 

 brought a young cousin to the show-yard who 

 was very anxious to be introduced to him. 

 "And let me tell you," said the friend, by way 

 of commendation, the young man being close 

 at his elbow, "that he is an ardent sportsman, 

 and has already broken his leg by a fall in 

 hunting." 



