CHAPTER IV 



THE MASTER OF HOUNDS 



The great masters of antiquity, if we may so style 

 them — Meynell, Beckford, Corbet, Lee Anthone, 

 John Warde, Ralph Lambton, Musters — have been 

 described as paragons of politeness as well as 

 models of keenness. George Osbaldeston hardly 

 possessed the former quality in so marked a de- 

 gree. Coming to present times, I cite as examples 

 the late Lord Penrhyn, Lords Portman, Lonsdale, 

 and Harrington, and Mr. R. Watson of Carlow, 

 Mr. ]. Watson (Meath), Captain Burns- Hartopp, 

 and Captain Forester, eminently successful masters. 

 Last but not least the eighth and present Dukes 

 of Beaufort. 



Money ! money ! money I is perhaps the most 

 important attribute after keenness and temper. A 

 real keen 'un will generally get a country. Happy 

 is the country possessing a master with these 

 qualifications, and they are by no means easy to 

 acquire — the boldness of a lion, the cunning of 

 a fox, the shrewdness of an exciseman, the cal- 

 culation of a general, the decision of a judge, 

 the purse of Squire Plutus, the regularity of a 

 railway, liberality of a philanthropist, the polite- 



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