BATTTE AT GEXERAL BULWER S. 77 



was in the plantations of the above description, mostly 

 of four, five, and six years' growth. The walking also 

 was extremely pleasant, the soil being in general light and 

 sandy. The general was too infirm to shoot, but came 

 out to us on a pony, in the middle of the day, and re- 

 mained two or three hours to see the sport, and we had 

 the good fortime to have the weather propitious during 

 the whole time we remained at Heyden. The game 

 was spread out every evening in the hall for our inspec- 

 tion. In this hall, I recollect, was a large and fine 

 picture, by Schneider, of deer and a variety of dead 

 game. Of this party, I regret to say, there is not one 

 but myself alive. Mr. Merry who had been a con- 

 siderable time in the War-office, was a keen and good 

 sportsman, and an excellent shot; and, on this occa- 

 sion, he was highly gratified at having killed more 

 woodcocks than any one of the party. I had not met 

 him for nearly fifty years, and concluded he was dead ; 

 when, about four years ago, being on a visit to Lord 

 de S. at Cheltenham, I was not a little surprised when 

 I heard that a Mr. Merry was coming to dinner, to find 

 that it was the Mr. Merry who had been of our shooting 

 party at Greneral Bulwer's in 1807. I gave him a hearty 

 shake of the hand, and we talked over all the events of 

 our battue, which he still retained in his memory. At 

 a subsequent year I also met him at his Lordship's table 

 and again together drank a glass of chamjDague. Mr. 

 Merry died at Cheltenham about two years ago, at the 

 great age of ninety. He retired from the War-office 

 when about fifty years old, and being high in the 

 department, had a pension of 2000/. per annum for 

 forty years; the aggregate sum amoimting to 80,000/. 

 Do the officers of the army and navy receive such 



