Sir Richard Sutton 



ONE evening in the autumn of the year 1809 the 

 Rev. Thomas Barrett, Vicar of Burton, in Lincoln- 

 shire, received an unexpected visit from Mr. George 

 Osbaldeston, the young Master of the Burton Hounds. 



" Mr. Barrett," said " the Squire," when he and the 

 Vicar were alone in the study, " I have come to ask a 

 favour of you. It refers to your young pupil Sutton. 

 I have taken a fancy to the lad. He seems to have a 

 taste for hunting, and I should like, with your per- 

 mission, to give him a lesson or two in the ' noble 

 science.' " 



" But, Mr. Osbaldeston, surely he is too young. The 

 boy is but ten years of age." 



" Not a bit too young to learn, sir. Why, I've known 

 boys no older than he commence whipping-in. I'll take 

 care that he comes to no harm. My first whip, Tom 

 Sebright, has a quiet, clever pony that will be just the 

 thing for him. And I'm sure it will do the boy's studies 

 no harm if you let him leave his Cornelius Nepos now 

 and then of a morning, and take a lesson in hunting 

 from me and Tom Sebright." 



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