94 



TALES OF THE TURF AND THE CHASE. 



Wales and in North Devon yet, and curious are the authentic 

 stories which might be narrated about these enthusiastic heroes 

 of top-boots and spur. There is a Httle village in North Devon 

 where, till within a very iQ.\v years, the meet of the stag-hounds 

 used to be given out from the reading desk every Sunday after 

 the first lesson. Years ago, when one who is now a veteran 

 amongst- the fox-hunting clerics of that neighbourhood first 

 entered upon his new duties, he was seized with a desire to 

 reform the ways of the natives and the practices of the priests. 

 Installed in his new living, he determined to forswear hounds 

 and hunting entirely. He even carried his orthodoxy to such a 

 point as to institute daily services, which at first, however, were 

 very well attended. Gradually his congregation fell off, much 

 to the grief of the enthusiastic pastor. One day, observing his 

 churchwardens lingering in the aisle after the service had been 

 concluded, he went up and asked them whether they could at all 

 inform him of the origin of the declension. ' Well, sir,' said one 

 of the worthies thus addressed, ' we were a going to speak to you 

 about the very same thing. You see, sir, the parson of this 

 parish do always keep hounds. Mr. Froude, he kept foxhounds, 

 Mr. Bellew, he kept harriers, and leastways we always expect 

 the parson of this parish to keep a small cry of sununut! Where- 

 upon the rector expressed his entire willingness to contribute a 

 sum to the support of ' a small cry' of harriers, provided his con- 

 gregation found the remainder. The experiment was tried, and 

 was completely successful ; nor after that day had the new 

 rector occasion to complain of a deficiency in his congregation. 



Tories of the old school, for instance Sir Cloudesley Spanker, 

 who has quitted himself so gallantly to-day, would no doubt 

 affirm that fox-hunting has been fatally injured as a sport by 

 railways. The truth of the proposition is extremely question- 

 able, and it may be dismissed in almost the same breath as the 

 sinister predictions which are never verified of certain naval and 

 military officers on the subject of the inevitable destiny of their 

 respective services. Railways have no doubt disturbed the 

 domestic tranquillity of the fox family, and have compelled its 

 various members to forsake in some instances the ancient Lares 

 and Penates. But the havoc which the science of man has 

 wrought the skill of man has obviated. Foxes are quite as dear 

 to humanity as they can be to themselves ; and in proportion as 

 the natural dwellings of foxes have been destroyed, artificial 

 homes have been provided for them. Moreover railways have 



