io8 FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 



admonished him of the impending danger ; but 

 all the notice taken of the salutary hint was — ' My 

 life is my own, and I suppose I may do what I 

 like with it/ 



'' When Mr. Matthew Wilkinson's eldest 

 brother was on his deathbed, he was asked by a 

 friend for the fixtures for the forthcoming week. 

 His reply was this : ' Why, Tommy is very ill, 

 and if Tommy dies, we can't hunt till Monday ; 

 but if Tommy don't die, we shall hunt somewhere 

 on Friday.' A brother sportsman died, and left 

 Matty five pounds to purchase a black coat to 

 his memory, Matty purchased a red one, thinking 

 thereby that he had shown still greater respect 

 to his departed friend. 



'' Mr. Matthew Wilkinson is esteemed a very 

 superior huntsman as far as the working of his 

 hounds is concerned, as also assisting them in 

 recovering a scent. His great weight, however 

 (full seventeen stones), precludes the possibility 

 of his always being in his place ; though every- 

 one I conversed with agreed that, from his great 

 knowledge of the country, and of the usual line 

 of his foxes, he creeps up to his hounds, when at 

 fault, much sooner than might be expected. 

 This is the result of a quick eye and a good share 

 of brains, with each of which Mr. W. is very 

 well furnished. Of his management in the 

 kennel I can say nothing ; nor can I say much of 

 the condition of his pack, any further than that 

 their elbows were clean, and that is as much as 

 can be generally said of hounds that work as hard 



