KINGS OF THE ROD, RIFLE, AND GUN 



The Fathers of Angling 



THE late Dr. Samuel Wilberforce, sometime Bishop of 

 Oxford and of Winchester, and known to the irreverent 

 as " Soapy Sam," was not much of a practical sports- 

 man, though he had a genuine sympathy with field 

 sports. On one occasion, however, when on a visit 

 at the country seat of a well-known nobleman during 

 the shooting-season, he was persuaded to join the 

 shooting party. He entered with considerable zest 

 into the sport, though I am not sure that he actually 

 handled a gun. On returning to the house his host 

 mentioned that his head gamekeeper was a Dissenter, 

 and although he did not wish to interfere with the 

 religious opinions of his servants, still, he confessed 

 that it was an annoyance to him that this man alone 

 of all his establishment should absent himself from 

 church. It didn't look well, and his lordship thought 

 that perhaps the Bishop, if he would undertake the 

 task, might talk the man over and induce him to 

 become a church-goer. The Bishop laughingly con- 

 sented to try the effect of his persuasive powers, and 

 went to the head keeper's lodge. He soon put the 



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