66 EEMINISCENCES OF A SPOETSMAN. 



hearse, how strongly this scene impressed upon my mina 

 the vicissitudes and vanities of this world. Here was a 

 princess that death had suddenly snatched from us in 

 the midst of youth and happiness, the idol and hope of 

 the nation, and married to the husLand of her affections. 

 WTien the body lay in state, one would have supposed 

 that the whole population of London had come to take 

 a last farewell of this beloved and popular princess, from 

 the immense crowds that arrived, who were allowed to 

 walk round the chamber of death. It is with sincere 

 and heartfelt satisfaction that I find in my old age a 

 revival at Windsor Castle of the happy family scenes of 

 1798, and I hope and trust their blessings of health and 

 happiness may long continue. 



Mais revenons a nos moutons. 



When the wind is very high, and the cover on the 

 side of a steepish hill, and you are posted at the bottom 

 on the sides of the wood, with the wind blowing towards 

 you, the gamekeeper with dogs, or two or three men 

 beating down the slope of the hill towards you, you will 

 find it no easy matter to bring down the pheasants, fly- 

 ing like hawks over your head ; at least I always did. I 

 recollect when, many years ago, I obtained a day's 

 shooting at Lord Arundel's, Wardour Castle, at the re- 

 quest of Mr. Charles Bowles of Shaftesbury. His agent, 

 the head keeper, a very knowing fellow, by way of saving 

 his pheasants, placed me in a low situation, the cover 

 being on the side of a steep slope, and the wind blowing 

 great guns, and entering the cover with his dogs at the 

 top of the hill, drove a considerable number of pheasants 

 over my head, going with the wind, and apparently tra- 

 versing the air with almost the swiftness of the golden 

 eagle, which ornithologists calculate at the rate of 140 



