The Merry Past 



Matty Wilkinson, master of the Hurworth Hounds, 



who — 



Stretched supine upon the plain, 

 With legs erected there has lain 

 The water from his boots to drain. 



Matthew Wilkinson had the reputation of supporting 

 a pack of foxhounds upon smaller means than any 

 other master in England. At one time the master- 

 ship of the Hurworth Hounds was shared between 

 him and his brother, but after the latter's death 

 Matty became sole master. 



His love of hunting was a ruling passion, which 

 relegated all else in life or even death to a subordinate 

 place. 



When Mr. Wilkinson's eldest brother was on his 

 deathbed, he was asked by a friend for the fixtures 

 of the forthcoming week. His reply was : " Why, 

 Tommy is very ill, and if Tommy dees we- can't hunt 

 till Monday ; but, if Tommy don't dee, we shall hunt 



at on Friday." A brother sportsman died and 



left Matty five pounds to purchase a black coat to 

 his memory. Matty purchased a red one, thinking 

 thereby that he had shown still greater respect to his 

 departed friend. 



He himself died in 1837. 



Another sportsman of considerable originality was 

 a Mr. Stubbs, an intimate friend of Mr. Corbet, the 

 well-known Warwickshire Master of Hounds, who 

 was celebrated for his two packs — one of gentlemen 

 and the other of ladies, the latter affording much 

 the better sport of the two. Mr. Stubbs, who was a 



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