Giants of the Past 171 



the advancement of his children. His stables and 

 kennels were kept in such order, that sportsmen 

 observed them as schools for huntsmen and grooms, 

 who were glad to come there without wages merely 

 to learn their business. When they had obtained 

 proper instruction he then recommended them to 

 other gentlemen, who wished for no better character 

 than Squire Draper's recommendation. He was 

 always up during the hunting season at four in the 

 morning, mounted on one of his nags at five, 

 himself bringing forth his hounds, who knew every 

 note of their old master's voice. In the field he 

 rode with judgment, avoiding what was unnecessary, 

 and helping his hounds when they were at fault. 

 After the fatigues of the day, which were generally 

 crowned with the brushes of a brace of foxes, he 

 entertained those who would return with him, and 

 which was sometimes thirty miles distance, with 

 old English hospitality. Good old October was 

 the liquor drunk ; and his first fox-hunting toast 

 was All the brushes in Christendom. At the age of 

 eighty years this gentleman died as he chiefly lived, 

 for he died on horseback. As he was going to give 

 some instructions to a friend who was rearing up a 

 pack of foxhounds, he was seized with a fit, and 

 dropping from his old favourite pony, he expired ! 

 There was no man, rich or poor, in his neighbour- 

 hood but lamented his death, and the foxes were 

 the only things that had occasion to be glad Squire 

 Draper was no more. 



The Hunting Directory. 



