WILLIAM LONG 187 



Upwards of half a century passed in the service of 

 one family is of itself a sufficient circumstance to com- 

 mand respect; but there are many other events to be 

 added in commendation of the Duke of Beaufort's 

 huntsman, Mr. William Long. Skilful and experienced 

 in the field, he affords the hounds all the assistance 

 they at any time require. Well conducted and appro- 

 priately civil to all classes, he has never been known to 

 assume an offensive demeanour. Of his excellent 

 judgment in breeding hounds I have already spoken. 

 The exact year when he entered the establishment at 

 Badminton I cannot state — that is immaterial ; but I 

 remember his having informed me he was at the 

 funeral of the fifth duke, the founder of the fox-hounds, 

 and that event took place in 1803, which is my 

 authority for stating he has been upwards of half a 

 century in the family.* At first he was engaged in the 

 stables, and, when a boy, was employed in conveying 

 the letter-bags to and from the post. His superior seat 

 on horseback attracted attention, and when the hounds 

 were in the Heythrop country the Duke of Beaufort 

 at that time Marquis of Worcester, being at Oxford 

 and always hunting when the pla-ce of meeting was 

 within reach, young Long was deputed to take his lord- 

 ship's hunters to covert. About this period John Wood, 

 one of the whippers-in, met with an accident, when 

 William Long was appointed to supply his place, and 



deposited in the family vault at Badminton on the 24th of November. 

 It was a gloomy, wet, melancholy day, quite in accordance with the 

 mournful hearts of those who attended the ceremony, which was 

 conducted in the most private manner consistent with the rank of 

 the deceased ; but a large concourse of persons assembled to pay 

 the last tribute of respect to the memory of the noble-minded, 

 generous duke, of whom it may be truly said, he was the rich man's 

 friend, the poor man's benefactor. 



* William Long also attended the funeral of the succeeding Duke 

 of Beaufort; again on the late melancholy occasion; and, as he 

 still continues in the service, he claims the distinction of having 

 lived with four generations of this noble family. 



