58 HUNTING REMINISCENCES 



he painted, none is more widely known than that 

 of the " Melton Hunt Breakfast," a hunting picture 

 which vies in interest with Mr. Ferneley's scene at 

 Barkby. Doubtless it was a labour of love for the 

 artist himself, who though a heavy weight, and by 

 no means lucky in horse-dealing transactions, was 

 seldom far from the finish of a good thing, and 

 at times pounded the field. On many occasions 

 Gillard sat as model, when Sir Francis was 

 painting a large picture of a kill with hounds, 

 and it was generally agreed that the central 

 figure of a fat huntsman holding the fox above 

 his head spoilt the contour of the group, he was 

 therefore painted out, and Frank went day after day 

 to Melton to stand as model for the new figure. 

 " A great honour to have been chosen as the subject 

 for the brush of so distinguished a painter ! " we 

 suggested. " It was terrible hard work holding up 

 that fox, I can tell you ; by Jove it was an awful 

 bore, and I should not like to have to do it again ! " 

 replied Gillard, shaking his head. Sir Francis Grant 

 was just as fond of shooting as he was of hunting, 

 and very often walking about some coverts the 

 Duke had given him, on more than one occasion 

 omitting to stop the earths when hounds were 

 expected, so that the huntsman was compelled to 

 write rather strongly on the subject. In reply he 

 sent a pencil drawing of himself mounted on an 

 old pony, riding out at the dead of night with a 

 spade under his arm and a lantern tied to his 

 stirrup iron. Written underneath was, " Is this 

 the sort of thing you want me to do ? " 



