1850] MR. WILLIAM TOMLINSON. 155 



that any mention of them is to be found, when the follow- 

 ing occurs : — 



BelVs Life, March 24th, 1850 :— 



CAPITAL RUN WITH MR. MEYXELL INGRAM. 



Dear Bkll, — Though no professional penny-a-liner, I cannot resist giving 

 you a short account of the run of the season. The meet was Snelston (near 

 Ashbourne), and in a very few minutes we found a brace of foxes, but in 

 consequence of the dusty state of the ploughed land we could not run. We then 

 drew Cubley Gorse, Eaton Wood, and Sudbury Gorse blank. Found at 

 Sudbury Coppice, and ran through the park towards Foston; when, not liking 

 the park palings, pug doubled back through tlie park, crossed the Uttoxeter and 

 Derby road, and followed the Valley of the Dove to Woodford. Here a quarter, 

 of an hour was lost, as the huntsman (and, in fact, all the field) supposed he had 

 crossed the Dove. But hitting him off again, we ran full speed through the 

 village of Doveridge, under Lord Waterpark's noble mansion, across the road, 

 and leaving Eaton Wood on our left, we ran into our fox near Snelston ; two 

 hours twentj'-three minutes, with but one check of any consequence, over a 

 magnificent grass country, and at a killing pace. In conclusion, I may say 

 that huntsman and hounds performed in first-rate style ; the fox was a good one, 

 and we separated at half-past five o'clock, leaving none more contented than 

 OxE WHO Followed at a Respectful Distance. 



Mar, 14. 



The exact date of a great hill run, which occurred 

 about this time, is unfortunately lost, but as Mr. William 

 Tomlinson of Bradley Pastures was the prime actor in it, 

 and as he has left us a brief account of it, it seems only 

 fitting to give an account of him here. 



" When thickest the fences and quickest the burst, 

 'Tis a thousand to one that a farmer is lirst." 



So sang Whyte Melville of a class, and in the instance 

 under consideration the couplet may well apply to the 

 individual. On green, young horses, probably not in 

 tiptop condition, Mr. Tomlinson, thanks to good hands, 

 a strong seat, and an iron nerve, could hold his own with 

 the best of them. His pleasant, weather-beaten face, with 

 its clear, keen blue eyes, was indeed pleasant to look 

 upon, though his back was what many of us saw the most 

 of when hounds ran. More than once he caught the 

 judge's eye between the flags at local steeplechases, and he 



