THE DUKE OF BEAUFORT'S 29 



of one hundred and thirty years; consequently they 

 stand next to the Brocklesby in antiquity. By that 

 remark, however, I must not be understood to represent 

 that they stand second to any in perfection. The blood 

 has been highly valued for many years, and there can- 

 not be a kennel of any note in which it is not to be 

 found. Many years ago the celebrated pack with which 

 Mr. Heron hunted Cheshire was added to the Belvoir 

 kennels, and that contained much of Mr. Meynell's blood. 



Earl Fitz William's hounds have been established 

 nearly, if not quite, a century, and are highly valued. 

 At a very early period, somewhere about the time when 

 the then Duke of Beaufort commenced hunting the 

 Heythrop country, the Crewe and Foley hounds were 

 introduced into these kennels. 



Among the oldest-established packs are the Duke of 

 Beaufort's, which are readily traced back to his Grace's 

 grandfather at the close of the last century. The stud- 

 hounds which his Grace has procured from other kennels 

 of late years are chiefly from the Duke of Rutland's, 

 Lords Yarborough's, Fitzhardinge's, and Fitz William's, 

 Sir Richard Sutton's, and Mr. Horlock's ; the latter 

 gentleman's pack having belonged to the celebrated 

 Mr. Warde, the blood stands in high repute, and, their 

 character differing from most others, it is very discern- 

 ible in the progeny. They were large, slashing hounds, 

 good workers, but their size above the standard of the 

 present day. There is, however, not much of this blood 

 in the Badminton kennel. 



Mr. Corbet had a celebrated hound called Trojan; 

 Mr. Osbaldestone another of great renown called Furrier; 

 the Duke of Beaufort has one equally worthy of dis- 

 tinction called Potentate, and although twelve years 

 old when I was at Badminton in 1852 was enjoying 

 his otium cum dignitate about the premises with 

 becoming importance, as worthy veterans are entitled 

 to do. His pedigree will bear scrutiny, and his progeny 

 is diffused in most kennels of celebrity. He is by 

 Wonder out of Prudence, Wonder by Remus out of 



