1839] SIR MATTHEW BLAKISTON. 131 



who had been careful of their horses in the early part of 

 the run, still pursued with hound and horn. Crossing 

 the Boyleston Road, he went down for Cubley brook and 

 through an osier bed to the right, over the next hill, 

 making his line for Bentley Car. Here the hounds were 

 seen gallantly carrying a head, and running at a good 

 pace for the gorse, which they did not allow him to hano- 

 in for an instant, but pushed him out on the far side 

 towards the village of Yeovely (sic), evidently meanino- 

 to reach Longford Car if possible. But the staunch pack 

 were getting nearer to him every field, and their pace 

 increasing, so that by the time we got to Alkmonton 

 bottoms he was fain to try two small woods, where the\- 

 got so near to him that, on being barred out, he made, or 

 rather was attempting to make, back when they ran into 

 him and killed him in gallant style after a run of two 

 hours and forty minutes. The squire, and his brother, 

 the captain, with about sixteen more, including the hunts- 

 man, out of a field originally consisting of near a hundred 

 men, were up. On those who stayed, perforce, I will not 

 cast any reflection. Suffice it to say, that they had ridden 

 well and fairly, through a heavy country, for two hours, 

 and when they found their steeds fail, they had too 

 much feeling for them to urge them cruelly forward." * 



" Sir Matthew Blakiston, Bart., was descended from 

 Matthew Blakiston, Esq., an eminent merchant of London, 

 who was elected an alderman of that city in 1753, and 

 Lord Mayor in 1760. In 1759 he was knighted and was 

 afterwards created a baronet." This is what Debrett says 

 of one, who, in his day, was perhaps the best man in the 

 Meynell country. He lived at Sandybrook Hall, his own 

 place, near Ashbourne, where Mr. Peveril Turnbull, a 

 regular follower of the Meynell hounds, on their Ash- 

 bourne side, now resides. Latterly Sir Matthew, owing 

 to straitened means, lived in a much smaller house close 

 by. The late Sir William FitzHerbert, who was a great 

 friend of his, used to say there was no harder man. 



* The writer ia unable to find out who wrote the above account. 



