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8o SPORTING PARSONS OF THE OLD SCHOOL : 



that she recently sustained the irreparable loss, by fire, of a 

 copy of " Market Harborough," presented to her by the late 

 Major Whyte Melville. 



Mr. Tailby remarked recently to the writer that of all 

 the hunting parsons he ever knew, he considered Cave 

 Humfrey the best across Leicestershire, and recalled the 

 fact that he rode in "jack " not top-boots. 



The Rev. Cave Humfrey was particularly distinguished 

 for his benevolent appearance, and, moreover, possessed 

 that indefinable, inimitable, and yet unmistakable air of 

 good breeding, which, being quite devoid of assumption, 

 denotes the man and the gentleman. His was a very 

 noticeable figure at the covert side, especially when 

 mounted on a favourite white horse, of Arab descent. 



In an article by Sir Willoughby Maycock, which 

 appeared in " Daily's Magazine," of December, 1908, Sir 

 Willoughby quotes Whyte Melville's description of the 

 reverend gentleman. 



As Mr. Sa^vyer ran his eye over the person and appointments of 

 his future host, he could not but acknowledge to himself that never 

 — no, never — in his life had he seen such a thoroughly workman- 

 like exterior ; from the clean-shaven, ruddy face, with its bright 

 blue eye and close-cropped grey hair, down to the long, heavy 

 hunting spurs, the man was faultless all over. Nobody's leathers 

 were so well made, so well cleaned, so well put on as Parson 

 Dove's ; and, though he affected brown tops, it is well known 

 that they w^ere such unequalled specimens as to have caused 

 one of his intimate friends, who particularly piqued himself on 

 ' boots,' to give up all hope even of imitation, and relapse into 

 * napoleons ' in disgust. Why, the very way he folded his neck- 

 cloth was suggestive of Newmarket, and no scarlet coat ever 

 turned out by Poole looked so like hunting as that well-cut, 

 unassuming black. His open-flapped saddle, his shining stirrup- 

 irons, his heavy double bridle, were all in keeping with the 

 man himself. And it is needless to state that he was riding a 

 thoroughbred bay, with a pair of fired forelegs and about the 

 best shoulders you ever saw on a hunter. 



And goes on to say — 



So much for the skit, now for the reality. 



