i6o CENTURY OF ENGLISH FOX-HUNTING 



but Mr. Russell was averse to them. The idea of 

 hunting aniseed was foreign to his mind, though 

 at this time he was absolutely starving himself in 

 order to indulge in hunting with the present Bicester 

 Hounds. When asked to subscribe to the Christ 

 Church Grinds he made the answer, " I may be con- 

 sidered guilty of a democratic act of ignobility." 

 Considering that he had kept hounds when a school- 

 boy at Tiverton, for which feat he narrowly escaped 

 expulsion, one can easily imagine Russell's indigna- 

 tion at being invited to subscribe to an institution 

 which consisted in riding after a bag of aniseed. 



It was on the 30th of September, 18 14, that Mr. 

 Russell saw his first stag killed and was " blooded " 

 to Exmoor stag-hunting. From that date his Ex- 

 moor hunting career may be said to commence. His 

 sporting grandfathers were George Templer, of 

 Storar, the Rev. Harry Templer, and the Hon. 

 Newton Fallowes. His allies in the hunting field 

 at this time were innumerable. Amongst his most 

 intimate friends were Sir Arthur Chichester, Sir 

 Walter Carew, Sir John Duntze, Sir Henry R. Wrey, 

 Admiral Parker, Sir W. Raleigh Gilbert, Mr. J. Bul- 

 teel, Mr. Charles Trelawney, the Rev. Harry Yeat- 

 man, Mr. W. Coryton, Mr. Pad Freby, Mr. Arthur 

 Mohun Harris, Mr. F. Granville, Mr. Phillips, Mr. 

 W. Harris, Mr. Moon Stevens, Mr. R. Sleeman, Mr. 

 J. North Woolcombe, the Rev. Pomeroy Gilbert, 

 Mr. J. Clode Braddon, Mr. George Williams, Mr. 

 Walter Radcliff, Mr. Burlton Bennett, Mr. Price 



