18151 ME. STUBBS OF BECKBURY. 51 



LORD MIDDLETON'S FOXHOUNDS, 1815— continued. 

 Bred by Lord Foley. 



ToTAli. — Eighty couples and a half. 

 Tlie hounds marJced with Y are from Si(dburij. 



The hounds were sometimes at the meet at seven 

 o'clock in the morning, and they never met hiter than 

 at eight o'clock, both in Mr. Corbet's and Lord Middleton's 

 "time. 



Mr. Stubbs, of Beckbury, in Shropshire, resided at 

 'Stratford, and was an enthusiastic foxhunter, although he 

 never rode over a fence, but he went about nine miles an 

 bour at a canter, and was sure to arrive soon after the day's 

 sport was concluded, and no day was too long for him, 

 He had a curious habit of keeping one eye shut, which, on 

 •any occasion of surprise or alarm, as invariably opened. 

 Having made a bet one day in the ring at Newmarket and 

 lost it, he was suddenly accosted by the winner of the 

 money ; this had the usual effect on his eye. On looking 

 into his face the stranger apologised for his mistake, and 

 Tode away, observing " That the gentleman he had bet 

 with was a one-eyed man." 



From Tebruary 6th, 1816, Lord Middleton's hounds 

 bunted live days a week, and during some weeks on six 

 •days ; and he kept eighty and a half couples of hounds. 



The following was published in Chambers' " Book of 

 Days," Vol. II., page 491 : 



Though the expense of maintaining a hunting stud is considerable, 

 amounting, in the case of the aristocratic frequenters of Melton Mowbray, to 

 1000?. per annum and upwards, whilst the yearly sum incurred in keeping 

 up a pack of foxhounds with accessory expenses will fall little short of 5000?., 

 there are, nevertheless, some remarkable instances on record of economy 

 in the management of these matters. Thus the celebrated miser, John 



