172 CENTURY OF ENGLISH FOX-HUNTING 



thanked him for the support and encouragement 

 which he had always given by his good example and 

 high principles to the moral elevation of all around 

 him, adding, " I value character and example much 

 more than talent and scholarship." But young 

 Dixon, though an indifferent mathematician, had 

 imbibed a love for classical scholarship, which is 

 apparent in all his multitudinous writings. The 

 Earl of Rosebery lately testified his appreciation 

 of " The Druid " by describing himself as " one who 

 finds constant refreshment from reading a few pages 

 of this healthy and vivid author, half sportsman and 

 half poet, who has produced a number of volumes, 

 which in their way are masterpieces, and will never 

 be surpassed." 



Of his Rugby days " The Druid " wrote as follows : 

 " When I first went there everything about it was 

 calculated to encourage a sporting taste. Lord 

 Chesterfield was living at Abington Abbey, near 

 Northampton, and hunting the Pytchley in a style 

 I have never seen approached since ; and many is the 

 time when I have rushed off after second lesson 

 in the generally visionary hope of seeing his hounds 

 draw Hillmorton Gorse. Mr. Bradley's staghounds 

 were also in full force." Steeplechasing, too, was 

 just becoming all the rage, and the kindhearted 

 Dr. Arnold, being determined that " the fellows," as 

 he used to call them, should have no pretext to dis- 

 obey orders, dispensed with " calling over" one after- 

 noon, in order to let them see the fun which was 



