1850] DINNER TO MR. BARNARD. 197 



come aud rout out uiy foxes, they are really .so iiumerou.s that my keepers 

 scarcely dare yo iiito tlio fovcrts ; " aud tlien. with that felicity of illustration 

 which so distinxuislu's hini, related many anecdotes of the boldness of the 

 foxes, that tliey " sit down in the riding- and stare mo out of countenance." 

 The fact was that the country was too wide for four days a week, l)ut, by the 

 liberality of the inhal)itants and visitors of Leamington, a remedy liad been 

 found for the evil, viz., tliat the county will lie hunted six days a week. He 

 had no doubt Mr. Barnard would do his utmost to promote the sport and 

 meet the wishes of gentlemen in the district, and that the county shall be 

 fairly hunted. He had, therefore, mucli pleasure in proposing, witli all the 

 honours, the " Health of his esteemed friend, Mr. Barnard." (Three times 

 three.) Mr. Barnard arose amid loud and oft-repeated apjjlause. He commenced 

 his speech by stating " that he could assure them he felt extremely embarrassed 

 in returning thanks for the great compliment they had ju.st paid him, and also 

 in inviting him to become a guest at their hospitable board, but first 

 he begged to thank tlioir worthy Chairnmu for the kind and flattering 

 way he had proposed the toast, and also the geutknuen present for the 

 kindness witli which they had responded to it. He assured them that 

 the comjdinient paid him that day was as gratifying as it was un- 

 expected. They must recollect that the post which he held as master of 

 foxhounds was not one of his own seeking, and indeed, some years since, he 

 had not the most distant idea that he should ever be called on to hold such 

 an office, but after his friend, Mr. Granville, had succeeded Mr. Thornhill, 

 and that gentleman was obliged to relinquish the office l)y ill-health, a master 

 was wanted. At that time he had not the slightest idea that he should be 

 required to fill the post, mitil one day, when he was out hunting, his friend, 

 Mr. Hugh Williams, said: "Barnard, we want a master, the county looks to 

 you." After that he felt obliged to respond to it, and he was duly installed 

 in his office. He believed it was going on to thirteen seasons since he became 

 master, and during the last eight years he had had the sole management of 

 them. When he began office the funds were not in a flourishing state, all 

 that they could raise in the county was 1300Z. per annum, and from that, and 

 different causes, there was not the same eoit of good feeling, which he hoped 

 would continue to exist for many years between the gentlemen of Warwick- 

 shire and the inhaljitauts and visitors of Lei.mington. He iiusted tlutt good 

 feeling would never J)e interrupted. (Cheers.) He had said that at that 

 time all tlie money they could raise was alji.ut loOO?., but from difi'erent t auses, 

 in about tliree years, the subscriptions in the county increased to 18U0/., and 

 those from the visitors to Leamington to 1400/., and that instead of reducing 

 the hunting to tliree days a week, he liad been enabled, through the kindness 

 of many gentlemen he saw ai-ound him, to increase it to five days, a course 

 which had Ijeeu adopted for three successive seasons. Unfortunately, the 

 year of famine had made prices dearer, and he was obliged to give up the 

 latter experiment, but he assured them lie gave up hunting this side of the 

 county with very great reluctance, and that it would afford him much 

 pleasure to hunt it again. (Cheers.) He was aware it was not a first rate 

 grass country, but he looked forward to the Chase Woods and other coverts 

 in the neiglilxmrhood, which had long been celebrated for their runs, to 

 maintain tjieir diaracter next f-eason. He believed these woods were full of 

 foxes, and that they had not lieen so well preserved for many years as they 

 were now, and therefore, thanks to Lord Leigh and Lord Guernsey, there 



