AUTUMN DAYS 



fort's contributions that we find evidences of his 

 skill ; this is also seen in the choice of writers. 

 The volumes on shooting are among the best 

 books ever written on that subject. It is not too 

 much to say that the Badminton Library reformed 

 the style of books on practical sport. The usual 

 slang, historical and social platitudes, found no 

 resting place in these charming pages. There is 

 scarcely one of these books that cannot be read 

 with pleasure by those who desire information on 

 recreations that interest their fellow-men, although 

 they themselves may have no taste for them. 



In the preface to the twenty-eighth and last 

 volume of the series (the charming collection by 

 Mr. Hedley Peck called "The Poetry of Sport") 

 there is a most generous appreciation by Mr. 

 A. E. T. Watson, of the work of the late Duke as 

 editor. To Mr. Watson, as he looks over the row 

 of the Badminton series, it must come with a sense 

 of added pleasure and pride in a great labour 

 brought to a fair conclusion, that for twelve of the 

 Duke's closing years the work was a delight and 

 a consolation to him. These days were, neverthe- 

 less, as I have said, the darkest in a life that had 

 brought much brightness to others. They were 

 marked by a series of brave and cheerful surren- 

 ders of things much valued and much delighted 

 in. 



But as the days of the Duke drew to a close 

 a still greater consolation came to him. He was 



277 Q 



