1 90 ON SURREY HILLS. 



was painted was wonderful, and it showed the artist 

 to have been a true naturalist. All who have drawn, 

 or tried to draw sparrows, know how difficult those 

 birds are to depict truly ; yet here was a whole roost 

 of them ; you could almost hear their noisy din, as 

 they choutered and scuffled about the poor owl. 

 Another picture represented a net drawn on shore, 

 from a lake ; pike, carp, tench, and eels were there, 

 enveloped in its meshes, a fine heap of fish, all 

 bundled up, wet and glistening. The net had evi- 

 dently been left for a time, as five or six herons had 

 flown down from their heronry and were minutely 

 examining that fine haul. 



An old retainer, bent nearly double, but with all 

 his wits about him, told me that the old lord had 

 been "a most menjous mighty gentleman for all 

 sporting life," as his collection of pictures showed. 

 They represented outdoor life of the early and 

 middle part of the last century. On the wall, at 

 the foot of the grand staircase, hung the portraits of 

 his famous grey racer, and the jockey at its head. 

 For background there was a bit of the old race-course 

 and sky. I never knew who was the artist ; but the 

 whole thing was a magnificent illusion ; it made you 



