THE MASTERS OF BADMINTON 



voracity of these animals, the consumption of food 

 by them must be immense ; and I was not surprised 

 at hearing the steward say that 500 acres of very 

 productive mowing-land did not furnish much more 

 than half the quantity of hay used in the stables, 

 cow-stalls, and the park of this fine domain." 



" Exclusive of the park, the Duke occupies about 

 1,200 acres of grass-land, which I rode over one 

 day with Mr. Wedge, the steward, for the purpose 

 of seeing the stock, consisting of Southdown and 

 Welch sheep ; cows and heifers of the improved 

 Gloucester breed, very good of the sort ; and Scots, 

 in store order, and fat. I likewise saw the pad- 

 docks in which the mares designed for breeding 

 hunters are kept, and where there were about 

 twenty two-year-old colts, and yearlings, many of 

 which promise to make hunters, and those of the 

 right sort, not being deficient in substance." 



Then comes a visit to the stables, the external 

 appearance of the building being, he remarks, 

 nothing very striking, though they are "very con- 

 veniently placed, being within a hundred yards of 

 the back entrance to the mansion." Of the interior, 

 he says it " exhibits a splendid stud, and this com- 

 posed of every description of horse." The thirty- 

 four " regular hunters " and the other ten that are 

 " able to go a-hunting " are passed in review, and 

 then comes the inquiry to the head groom, " What 

 is become of Tom Thumb ? I do not see him here. 

 The Duke told me, at Newmarket, that he would 



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