196 THE WARWICKSHIRE HUNT. [1890 



thing- to be a Master of Hounds. All I can say is, let those who think so try. 

 (Hear, hear.) So far as I am able to judge, from the small degree of knowledge 

 that I have been able to jnck up in my hunting experience during a period of 

 twenty-five or thirty years, I believe the duties of a Master of Hounds, properly 

 performed, are among the most difficiJt that exist. (Hear, hear.) I say it 

 advisedly. I would far rather be the general of an army than I would be a 

 Master of Hoimds. If you are the general of an army, at all events you know 

 this much — you know that the footmen cannot go beyond a certain pace, 

 and you know that the cavalry cannot go beyond a certain pace. You know 

 also that you can calculate pretty well upon what the movements of an 

 opposing general are likely to be. But just take the case of a pack of hounds. 

 WTiat have you to calculate upon ? You have to reckon with any number of 

 circumstances that can be known, and a very large number of circumstances 

 that cannot be known, the least of which, when everything else fails, is 

 perhaps realised. Up tm-ns an old woman and heads the fox straight away — 

 (laughter) — back goes the fox, and where are you, and where are your hoimds? 

 There are generally two or three halloas forward, but what can you believe P 

 Who are you to believe ? I simply mention these points because they are 

 contingencies which have come imder my o\ni notice. At the same time I 

 Avish to say one other thing, and it is something which I hope Lord 

 Willoughliy will remember, viz., that in the Warwickshire Hunt we are of 

 opinion that there is nothing like leather. We like discipline. (Hear, hear.) 

 Wlien we are out limiting we ought to be sportsmen. If we are not sports- 

 men we ought to be, and if we get out of our i^laces and get blown up, well, 

 it serves us quite right. (Cheers.) One of the reasons why there has been so 

 much sport shown in this coimtry during the past fourteen years is because 

 men daren't get on to the ends of covers, and they daren't liead foxes, or if 

 they do head foxes they hear of it. (Laughter.) I wish to say that I speak 

 witli some personal knowledge. (Renewed laughter.) The reason why I am 

 hero to-night, gentlemen, and the reason why we are aU here, is because we 

 know that Lord Willougliby has his whole heart in the sport. (Hear, hear, 

 and aj)plause.) When we get a good Master of Hoimds, we are very much 

 obliged to him, and we want to keep him. I hope, if I am going twenty 

 years hence, that we shall have the same Master of Hoimds, and I hope 

 that when we have another such a gathering as this, we shall have the same 

 gentleman to occupy the chair. Addressing the Chairman, his lordship good- 

 humouredly added : I drink your very good health. I told you it depended 

 very much upon how you behaved in the chair to-night, what I said of you, 

 and I wish to say that I hope to see you occupying the same position 

 twenty years hence. I beg to propose the health of our Chairman, Mr. Knott. 

 (Cheers.) 



The Chairman, in responding, thanked Lord Camperdown for the kind 

 manner in which he had spoken of him, and the company generally for the 

 reception they had given to the toast. He went on to say that it was true 

 that he had something to do with the bringing about of the present gathering, 

 but at that time he little thought he should he wanted to take the chair, and 

 when he was asked to do so he felt a great deal of diffidence in accepting the 

 position. He had hoped to have seen one of their well-known hunting gentle- 

 men occupying the chair, who would have been far better able to fulfil the 

 duties than himself — (" No," and applause) — but he hoped they would all at 

 least allow that he had endeavoured to do his best. (Hear, hear, and applause.) 



