84 SPORTING PARSONS OF THE OLD SCHOOL: 



was a long time before he took to clipping his horses ; they 

 were turned up in a large, old stable, divided by rails, and the 

 windows knocked out ; but influenza and mud fever were 

 unknown horrors to him. Long may the day be absent when 

 the clerg}^ are driven from the field. He never neglected his 

 duties, but enlarged his field of usefulness by meeting his 

 friends and parishioners in their everyday life, and many an 

 angry word has been left unsaid when his black coat and 

 faultless choker have appeared in sight.' 



I can make no claim to artistic talent, but some thirty years 

 ago, or more, I made a sketch of ' Parson Dove,' which I took 

 to Reynolds, in St. James's Street, who sold it almost immedi- 

 ately to some member of the Quorn Hunt, who pronounced it 

 to be the living image of Parson Dove.* 



The Rev. Cave Humfrey was thrice married, his first 

 wife being his cousin, daughter of William Haymes of 

 Kibworth, Esquire ; his second wife was also a cousin, 

 Miss Cave ; and his third wife was a Miss Staines. 



The fine old sportsman passed away quite suddenly, 

 being, apparently, quite well in the evening, having 

 ordered his horse to be ready for hunting the following 

 morning, but was taken with a seizure about midnight, and 

 died at 4 a.m. 



* The copy of it here reproduced by kind permission of Sir Willoughby Maycock, 

 K.C.M.G., may serve to bring the Parson to the minds of those who remember him, 

 and give the younger generation some idea, when they read " Market Harborough," of 

 what " Parson Dove " was like in real life. 



The article quoted above elicited the following response 

 in the February number of " Daily's Magazine," and as it 

 is from the pen of Parson Dove's nephew and namesake, 

 the Rev. Cave Humfrey, should prove interesting : — 



I have read with much interest Mr. W. Maycock's recent 

 article in "Baily' on Parson Dove; on one or two points, in 

 justice to my uncle's memory, I should like to comment, with 

 your kind permission. 



