AND TEE DUKES OF BICHMOND. 217 



of it to show the "southerly wind" so dear to fos-himters, a 

 gift from Henrietta, Duchess of Bolton, the daughter of the 

 Duke of Monmouth, who seems to have inherited her father's 

 love for Charlton. Both she and her youthful son, Lord Nassau 

 Powlett, were constant visitors there. 



The fame of Charlton had now reached other countries. St. 

 Victor came from France to return his friend's visit, and both 

 that country and Germany sent admirers of the sport to Charlton 

 with half the aristocracy of England — amongst them the Duke 

 of Richmond, who had purchased Goodwood of the family of 

 Compton in 1720 as a hunting-seat, and from thence brought 

 both his Duchess and the youthful Lord March to the meet at 

 Charlton, while her Grace, with her daughter Lady Anne Lennox 

 (afterwards Countess of Albemarle), held assembhes in the even- 

 ing at Foxhall, countenanced by the presence of the Duchess of 

 Bolton, Lady Forester, and other ladies, whom the attraction 

 of the chase had brought to Charlton — a love of hunting being 

 by no means confined to the noble sex. The success and impor- 

 tance of the Hunt appear now to have provoked the envy of the 

 owner of Petworth, the proud Duke of Somerset, who, accus- 

 tomed to be paramount in West Sussex, could not brook the sight 

 of horses and hounds riding over his estate. 



His Grace's ire is amusingly described as inquiring first of his 

 neighbour Sir "William Goring of Burton, " Whose hounds they 

 were so frequently coming near his house ? " And on being told 

 "that they were the Charlton Pack — Mr. Roper's," cried out, 

 stammering with anger, " Who is he ? Where is his estate ? 

 What right has he to hunt this county ? I'll have hounds and 

 horses of my own." And, in spite of Sir WiUiam's remonstrances, 

 had kennels and stables built up on the Downs, near Waltham, 

 called Twines (afterwards used by Lord Egremont as racing 

 stables), and even condescended to send down first-rate cooks 

 to tempt the Sussex gentlemen with a sumptuous breakfast ; but 

 they were faithful in their allegiance to Charlton, and, after a few 

 years' vain endeavour to carry his point, his Grace gave away his 

 hounds and left the field in disgust. 



