THEIR PHILOSOPHY OF THE CHASE. 65 



lor 120 guineas, and refused ^1200 for her immediately 

 after the race ; finally she broke down and was put to the 

 stud, but whether as a brood mare she produced anything 

 of merit, I cannot remember. 



After placing many other events to his credit, Mr. 

 Foster married, gave up his stud, and leaving Burton Overy 

 decided to take Orders, which he soon after did ; and, 

 strange though it may seem, expressed himself as equally 

 fond of his new as of his old vocation. 



Mr. Foster was a brother of the late Mr. Montague 

 Foster, the celebrated Naval Coach of Stubbington House, 

 Hants., and although not the eldest son of his father, 

 inherited the entailed estate under a peculiar and ancient 

 law which the writer believes to be operative in only two 

 parishes or lordships in England, by which the youngest 

 takes the place of the eldest son. Mr. Foster used to say 

 that this exception to the law of primogeniture had its 

 origin in the fact that in these places, the Parson who 

 performed the Marriage Service had not only the privilege 

 of imprinting the first kiss upon the bride (a good old 

 custom now seldom exercised), but furthermore, the addi- 

 tional privilege of sleeping with her the first night ! 



Supposing this to be correct, it would be interesting to 

 know when the ancient custom became obsolete, as it 

 seems there has been no abrogation of the law; and although 

 presumably for generations past the " raison d'etre," has 

 disappeared, the youngest still takes precedence of the 

 eldest, which goes to prove that the privilege was not 

 always entirely disregarded ! 



Note. — Sir Arthur Percy Douglas, fifth Baronet, who died from injuries received in 

 the recent railway disaster at Aisgill, was a brother-in-law of Mr. Courtenay 

 Spencer Foster ; and, sad to relate, was at the time journeying to visit the 

 grave of his late wife. Mr. Foster's sister. 



