THEIR PHILOSOPHY OF THE CHASE. 79 



The Rev. Cave Humfrey, Rector, until his death in 

 1874, of Laughton, Leicestershire, will be remembered by 

 many who are " getting on," and a still greater number 

 will be acquainted with the description given of him as the 

 prototype of " Parson Dove," in Whyte Melville's enter- 

 taining novel '* Market Harborough." 



The quaint sketch of Parson Dove annexed, portrays 

 him as clean shaven ; similarly he is represented in the purely 

 fanciful description contained in the novel, which, however, 

 differs considerably from the writer's recollection of him in 

 the seventies, when he possessed a particularly luxuriant 

 growth of snow-white hair and side whiskers, giving him 

 quite a venerable appearance.* Moreover, this impression 

 is corroborated by a photograph taken by his niece. Miss 

 Constance Humfrey, a daughter of the Parson's eldest 

 brother, Charles Humfrey, the eminent Q.C.ofthe Midland 

 Circuit. This lady, as " Cissy Dove," was one of the 

 leading personages in the novel. The hero, John Standish 

 Sawyer, was a purely imaginary character, so, needless to 

 add, '* Cissy" did not become Mrs. Sawyer, but married a 

 Captain Wilson. However, all who knew her either in real 

 life as Mrs. Wilson, or as " Cissy Dove," will regret to 

 know that she passed away as this memoir was in course of 

 publication. 



In a footnote to the following article dated five years 

 ago, the writer stated that he had been informed that Mrs. 

 Wilson was no longer in the "land of the living" ; but in 

 the following February, wrote : — 



I made this statement on the authority of one of the oldest 

 residents in Leicestershire, who knew all the Humfrey family 

 intimately. I was, however, delighted to receive a letter from 

 the lady herself to-day, telling me that she is still ici has, and 

 hale and hearty. The intelligence will, I am sure, be most 

 gratifying to all who, like myself, had the pleasure of her 

 acquaintance, and I can only express my regret that I was 

 misinformed. I trust she will forgive me. She also tells me 



* As, however, the novel was published in 1861, there was ample time for such a 

 change as would coincide with my recollecton. — F. P. de C. 



