Hugo Meynell's mastership. Several rival bards have 

 commemorated that marvellous run in verse, but the 

 best-known and most meritorious of these effusions is 

 that by the Rev. Robert Lowth, son of the eminent 

 bishop best remembered now by his translation of 

 Isaiah. They found in Billesdon Coplow covert, and 

 thence ran their fox to Skeffington Earths, past Tilton 

 Woods, by Tugb)' and Whetstone, where the field, or 

 as many of them as could manage it, crossed the River 

 Soar. At this point the hounds, changing their fox, 

 carried a head to Enderby Gorse, where they lost him 

 after a chase of two hours and fifteen minutes, the 

 distance being twenty-eight miles. The Rev. Robert 

 Lowth was one of the field, and wrote the poem at the 

 request of the Honourable George Germaine, brother 

 of Lord Sackville, afterwards Duke of Dorset. The 

 poem is too long to quote in full, but the following lines 

 are a just tribute to the excellence of Me)aieirs hounds : 



' Thus ended a chase which for distance and speed 



Its fellow we never have heard of or read. 

 In most other countries they boast of their breed 



For carrying at times such a beautiful head ; 

 But these hounds to carry a head cannot fail, 

 And constantly too, for, by George ! there's no tail. 

 Talk of horses and hounds and the system of kennel. 

 Give me Leicestershire nags and the hounds of Old Meynell ! ' 



Meynell's death took place on the 14th of December 

 1808, in his 74th year. He died, as John Warde did, 

 at his London house in Chapel Street, Mayfair, and was 

 buried in the old family vault at Bradley, in Derbyshire, 

 the manor of which had been purchased by his ancestor. 

 Alderman Francis Meynell, a rich banker, and sometime 

 Sheriff of the City of London, who died in 1666. The 

 estates, ■ worth ;^ 11,000 a year, went to his son Charles, 



